My Next Book: Michael Jackson, Inc. Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Forbes Staff

ivy · Jan 3, 2014

Hi all,

A quick correction for you: the link to pre-order Michael Jackson, Inc on Amazon is www.mjinc.co (not mjinc.com, as I previously wrote). You can also search Amazon for "Michael Jackson, Inc" -- whatever's easier. Sorry for the confusion, and happy new year once again!

All best,
Zack

Petrarose · Jan 3, 2014

I wonder which business associates and family members he spoke to?

bad25 · Jan 3, 2014

I always feel it's puzzling when the media said MJ was broke. Well I wish I was as broke as him! MJ isnt just the best entertainer, he's a shrewd businessman and an intelligent individual who's full of wisdom. Its a shame the general public doesnt see him that way..anyway I hope there will be a digital version of it.

bobmoo79 · Jan 3, 2014

bad25 said:
I always feel it's puzzling when the media said MJ was broke. Well I wish I was as broke as him! MJ isnt just the best entertainer, he's a shrewd businessman and an intelligent individual who's full of wisdom. Its a shame the general public doesnt see him that way..anyway I hope there will be a digital version of it.

The media like to report that lots of debt = broke. It doesn't.
BUT in MJ's case he was getting perilously close to losing control (IMO). Some say he already reached that point before he died, which is why he was getting into more and more financial trouble and requesting upfront payments to cover rent etc.

His assets were huge, but his debt was also huge and cashflow was a massive problem for him. He was asset rich but cash poor.

virginia_woolf · Jan 3, 2014

I hope the book itself is better than the title which gives me a really bad vibe.

DC10 · Jan 5, 2014

Petrarose said:
I wonder which business associates and family members he spoke to?

Yes, I too wonder which family members and business associates Zack spoke with for this book, because most of the people the media talk to about MJ come across as mostly pretending that they were close to MJ and claiming to know pertinent info about his life (e.g., Oxman). I doubt that many people, even his family, knew much about his finances.

virginia_woolf · Jan 5, 2014

DC10 said:
I doubt that many people, even his family, knew much about his finances.

Randy knows some things as he's responsible for getting Michael in big financial troubles and lawsuits. If the author interviewed him I hope he didn't believe his every word just because he was a family.

Juniper · Jan 5, 2014

Re: My Next Book: Michael Jackson, Inc.

Rhilo said:
This sounds very promising. A topic that's not often discussed or a side of Michael that tends to get overlooked. These are the types of books we need on Michael. I'll be getting this

I am really curious about this book, too! Such a long time still till June.

Petrarose · Jan 9, 2014

I wonder if he is going to just print what the people tell him, without doing some background check and fact checking the information. We may see sources like Wiesner, Randy, Joe.... I guess good sources will help the book, but does he know which sources are not credible?

I just paid attention to his name--O Malley Greenburg. Is he using his mom's maiden name (O'Malley)? Is Greenburg his dad's name. This has nothing to do with the book. I just found the 2 names together interesting.

Annita · Jan 9, 2014

Petrarose;3948339 said:
I wonder if he is going to just print what the people tell him, without doing some background check and fact checking the information. We may see sources like Wiesner, Randy, Joe.... I guess good sources will help the book, but does he know which sources are not credible?
.

I don`t think he will have people like Wiesner or Randy as sources. His forbes-articles really showed that he did some research. I remember also a article he made about Michaels will.

Here is the discription from Amazon:

The surprising rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches story of how Michael Jackson grew a billion-dollar business.

Michael Jackson is known by many as the greatest entertainer of all time, but he was also a revolutionary when it came to business. In addition to famously buying the Beatles’ publishing catalogue, Jackson was one of the first pop stars to launch his own clothing line, record label, sneakers, and video games—creating a fundamental shift in the monetization of fame and paving the way for entertainer-entrepreneurs like Jay Z and Diddy. All told, Jackson earned more than $1.1 billion in his solo career, and the assets he built in life have earned more than $700 million in the five years since his death—more than any other solo music act over that time.

Michael Jackson, Inc. reveals the incredible rise, fall, and rise again of Michael Jackson’s fortune—driven by the unmatched perfectionism of the King of Pop. Forbes senior editor Zack O’Malley Greenburg uncovers never-before-told stories from interviews with more than 100 people, including music industry veterans Berry Gordy, John Branca, and Walter Yetnikoff; artists 50 Cent, Sheryl Crow, and Jon Bon Jovi; and members of the Jackson family. Other insights come from court documents and Jackson’s private notes, some of them previously unpublished. Through Greenburg’s novelistic telling, a clear picture emerges of Jackson’s early years, his rise to international superstardom, his decline—fueled by demons internal and external, as well as the dissolution of the team that helped him execute his best business moves—and, finally, his financial life after death.

Underlying Jackson’s unique history is the complex but universal tale of the effects of wealth and fame on the human psyche. A valuable case study for generations of entertainers to come and for anyone interested in show business, Michael Jackson, Inc. tells the story of a man whose financial feats, once obscured by his late-life travails, have become an enduring legacy.

Bubs · Jan 9, 2014

Annita;3948522 said:
Michael Jackson, Inc. reveals the incredible rise, fall, and rise again of Michael Jackson’s fortune—driven by the unmatched perfectionism of the King of Pop. Forbes senior editor Zack O’Malley Greenburg uncovers never-before-told stories from interviews with more than 100 people, including music industry veterans Berry Gordy, John Branca, and Walter Yetnikoff; artists 50 Cent, Sheryl Crow, and Jon Bon Jovi; and members of the Jackson family. Other insights come from court documents and Jackson’s private notes, some of them previously unpublished. Through Greenburg’s novelistic telling, a clear picture emerges of Jackson’s early years, his rise to international superstardom, his decline—fueled by demons internal and external, as well as the dissolution of the team that helped him execute his best business moves—and, finally, his financial life after death.

I'm looking forward release of Zack's book, and the list(bolded) of the people he interviewed sounds good. He interviewed Jon Bon Jovi for this book? Wonder why?

Bonnie Blue · Jan 9, 2014

Zack is really in with the estate, so i imagine branca will be the source for the 'rebirth' that's in the book title, as well as the rise of course. I hope people aren't expecting a wholly positive book as it seems he'll be talking about 'the fall' of mj inc, which was caused by all those 'internal and external demons' as well as the parting of the ways with 'the team that helped him execute his best business moves', presumably branca.

Bubs · Jan 9, 2014

^^ Bonnie, but Zack is right, there was a fall.
At 80's MJ rose on top of the world making money as fast they could print (;-)) it, then came accusations, sponsors left and money problems (fall), death (rise again). I just hope Zack has invested lots of time to properly put all that in to context.

I cannot say anything about internal or external demons before I read what he says about it, but Zach is not known for writing tabloidish stuff so I'll give him a chance.

Bonnie Blue · Jan 9, 2014

Bubs said:
^^ Bonnie, but Zack is right, there was a fall.

I know, you're preaching to the choir with me on that. but i'm just aware that there are some fans who might not recognise there was that big of a fall, or that there were any actions by mj that contributed to that fall. I think expectations need to be managed re this book, that's all.

jamba · Jan 10, 2014

Annita;3948522 said:
Here is the discription from Amazon:

Through Greenburg’s novelistic telling, a clear picture emerges of Jackson’s early years, his rise to international superstardom, his decline—fueled by demons internal and external, as well as the dissolution of the team that helped him execute his best business moves—and, finally, his financial life after death.

Underlying Jackson’s unique history is the complex but universal tale of the effects of wealth and fame on the human psyche. A valuable case study for generations of entertainers to come and for anyone interested in show business, Michael Jackson, Inc. tells the story of a man whose financial feats, once obscured by his late-life travails, have become an enduring legacy.

"Through Greenburg’s novelistic telling, a clear picture emerges of Jackson’s early years, his rise to international superstardom, his decline—fueled by demons internal and external, as well as the dissolution of the team that helped him execute his best business moves—and, finally, his financial life after death."

Uh-oh.This doesn't sound good to me--not that I am saying that about the whole book-to-be or its content-to-be, but this part has me concerned. "Novelistic telling"--that does not sound good or like objective writing. This sounds like he is trying to cover too much ground--the rise and fall is a huge subject and if you try and cover it all IMO this is where writers get sloppy and make big mistakes. This happened IMO in the Sullivan book--he said he was going to focus on the last years but ended up trying to cover everything and when you are spread too thin, you don't necessarily check all your sources the way you need to.

IMO the definitive biography of MJ has not been written yet and if it ever is it will take a long time for someone to do it (at least 5-7 years IMO) and will probably be more than one volume, or several volumes. Zack should stick to the finances and not go into the "internal and external demon" b/c that right there--even just the 'external demons' is a huge subject. Take a book like Joe Vogel's Man in the Music--he spent 5 years researching and he managed to focus on the 7 albums. He did not really get much into the J5, the tours, the films.

I am also wondering if Zack will use material from Sullivan's book--hope not.

I am giving him the benefit of the doubt here but skeptical re this 'novelistic telling.'

mdiegee210 · Jan 11, 2014

IMO MJ's autobiography should be written by MJ's FANS,FAMILY,and people he was close to. The Estate for Financial and Legal support. We should do this for ourselves and MJ. We have some GOOD WRITERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

Bubs · Jan 11, 2014

mdiegee210 said:
IMO MJ's autobiography should be written by MJ's FANS,FAMILY,and people he was close to. The Estate for Financial and Legal support. We should do this for ourselves and MJ. We have some GOOD WRITERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

Zack's book is not going to be bio. It concentrates purely on Michael's business as the name suggest Michael Jackson Inc.

There has been books written by "family" members,fans and people he was close to, but we are never going to get a book that matches our own picture of Michael. The only real deal would be if they find Michael's own transcripts and publish them, them we have the truth directly from horses mouth (so to speak).

Why the estate should support any book financially or legally?

If there is going to be a bio, a wise thing would be to send a draft to us, and we can inform what is fiction and what is fact

mdiegee210 · Jan 11, 2014

Because it takes money to write a book or do a documentary, and lawyers to make sure what is written or said in a documentary is legal and we can't be sued. They should support this project because it will be the most Accurate account of Michael Jackson Life. I would like to see a Documentary from the MJJ Community because we do have FACTS.

Aquarius · Jan 12, 2014

I'd like to know Michael's process of thought about business. I don't know much about his business but it must be interesting to know what made him say yes to certain deals.

Except for the video games, I didn't know this: "Jackson was one of the first pop stars to launch his own clothing line, record label, sneakers, and video games" I knew he had a contract with a sneaker company but I didn't know he had his own line of sneakers.

"Other insights come from court documents and Jackson’s private notes, some of them previously unpublished." I'd like to know how he got to read those private notes.

Bubs · Jan 13, 2014

Aquarius;3949770 said:
I'd like to know Michael's process of thought about business. I don't know much about his business but it must be interesting to know what made him say yes to certain deals.

Except for the video games, I didn't know this: "Jackson was one of the first pop stars to launch his own clothing line, record label, sneakers, and video games" I knew he had a contract with a sneaker company but I didn't know he had his own line of sneakers.

"Other insights come from court documents and Jackson’s private notes, some of them previously unpublished." I'd like to know how he got to read those private notes.

Description says he spoke to members of the Jackson family. We know that when "family" went to house, they took everything that wasn't nailed down, and Taj or TJ was trusted to hold on the papers found from the house. I suppose they let Zack to read some of them, or if the estate have some of the notes and they could have let Zack to read them.

Annita · Jan 17, 2014

http://michaeljacksoninc.com/about-the-book/

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

“In his meticulously researched Michael Jackson, Inc, Zack O’Malley Greenburg has brilliantly shown us a side of the late King of Pop we’ve never seen before: The mercurial but oh-so-canny businessman who made hundreds of millions in his lifetime and is on his way to making even more after his untimely death.”
- William D. Cohan, New York Times bestselling author of Money and Power

“A fascinating, fresh, detailed account of how Michael Jackson changed the game for artists in the entertainment industry. Packed with new angles and insights, Greenburg avoids cheap sensationalism in favor of real, research-based reporting. The result is at once a story of Jackson’s remarkable business acumen, as well as a cautionary tale about the price of the ticket. While Jackson’s success came at a great cost, reading this book makes clear how he paved the way for generations of artists to come.”
- Joseph Vogel, author of Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson

“Zack follows every step of the way as the King of Pop becomes the Citizen Kane of Pop, creating an empire so strong that even Jackson’s most mind-boggling excesses couldn’t bring it down. Michael Jackson Inc. is the deepest examination and most resounding proof yet that Jackson was as pioneering in business as he was in music — a pathfinder in the establishment of Artist as Brand.”
- Jem Aswad, editor-in-chief of SPIN

“Jackson was crazy like a fox, and could be as cold in business as he was hot onstage and in the studio. I’m crazy for this gripping, beautifully-reported book.”
- Michael Gross, author of House of Outrageous Fortune

“The King of Pop is perfectly captured by Zack O’Malley Greenburg, who has a journalist’s eye for detail with Michael Jackson, Inc. The words dance across the page, the mark of a writer with vivid, natural storytelling talent. Bravo, Zack!” — Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and author of Growing A Better America

qbee · Jan 18, 2014

Wow GREAT Reviews - Even by Joe Vogel

CherubimII · Jan 18, 2014

I just pre-ordered the Zack O'Malley Greenburg book about Michael Jackson's financial empire from Amazon.com.

The cost is $19.26 US dollars. I'm hoping for the best. :fortuneteller:

Petrarose · Jan 18, 2014

Annita those are great reviews in the sense that they make it seem the book is not tabloidish. It would be great to have a book with negative and positive content that is not written in a tabloid/sensationalistic manner--maybe this book is it?

Snow White luvs Peter Pan · Jan 19, 2014

Seems like a must read.

bobmoo79 · Jan 20, 2014

Those reviews are posted on the books official website and I would hazard a guess that the author specifically targeted those reviewers knowing they would be positive toward his work. Zack's not likely to publish negative reviews on his own site, so if his chosen reviewers weren't positive Zack has the freedom to omit them.
It will be interesting to read 'genuine' reviews in the media when / if the book is reviewed by them around the time it is published.
(BTW, I'm not saying the book isn't good - I have already ordered my copy - just that reviews posted on the book's own site aren't necessarily the best source for deciding if a book is good or not).

EDIT:
I just noticed that Simon & Schuster are the same publisher that released the Ian Halperin book and will also be releasing the Raymone Bain book in June '14.
Zack's book is not currently mentioned on their website (or at least not that I could find).

EDIT:
I contacted Simon & Schuster UK to confirm that the book would be released in the UK in June (like the Raymone Bain book) and they're reply was that they "guess" it's planned for a US only release at the present. In other words the person replying couldn't be bothered to find out and has made an assumption based on the fact it doesn't appear on the S%S website. Lazy.

Themidwestcowboy · Jan 24, 2014

bobmoo79 said:
Those reviews are posted on the books official website and I would hazard a guess that the author specifically targeted those reviewers knowing they would be positive toward his work. Zack's not likely to publish negative reviews on his own site, so if his chosen reviewers weren't positive Zack has the freedom to omit them.
It will be interesting to read 'genuine' reviews in the media when / if the book is reviewed by them around the time it is published.

Yes, but i have faith in Jospeh Vogel and his judgment. I will add this one to my list

kingkey100 · Jan 25, 2014

Can´t wait to have more info...

bluesky · Feb 25, 2014

BORBAY PAINTS MICHAEL JACKSON, INC. BOOK COVER

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Rewind to December, 2010. I recall pondering a portrait series, but found I had99 problems and picking a portrait subject was one. As fate would have it, I decided topaint Jay Z, which lead to a series of hip hop stars nearly identical to Zack O’Malley Greenburg’s Cash Kings.
So, I called into Forbes, asked for Zack, got him on the phone, talked about the work, he previewed the show, wrote about it forForbes, and that’s how it all began. Shortly thereafter, Mr. O’Malley Greenburg released his first book, Empire State of Mind (HOV loved it by the way).
As artists are wont to do, we spoke frequently about our upcoming projects… turns out, Zack began to research for his new book — Michael Jackson, Inc.. ‘Wouldn’t it be great to collaborate on the cover?”

And I give you — Michael Jackson, Inc. — the book cover. This black-and-white beaut was designed by Anna Dorfman of Simon & Schuster… and Door Sixteen… we’ve been working on this collaboration for months, and I’m thrilled to share it with you.
For those of you who are visiting for the first time, I lay out my entire creation process for each work from start-to-finish. Here is Michael.

The composition changed in the first review… here is the ‘collage map’ of MJ’s face.

The headlines are culled from the New York Post — MJ, King of Pop, Bad, King, Star, Thriller, Moon Walk, Billions…

Headlines down, image drawn, it’s time for a cadmium orange background.

Here’s where the painting begins to enter it’s teen years, or in other words, the ugly phase. I’ve cultivated this process over 4 years, and each subject must endure braces.

The source image was a photograph I took of a paused scene in Smooth Criminal. I then flipped the image horizontally, stretched MJ out a smidge, reshaped his hat into something I would wear, stylized the hair, and made some wardrobe modifications. Here, you’ll see, I went fedora first. Lead with the head, the rest will follow.

Jacket painted, and beginning to carve into the face. It’s a delicate balance between legibility and likeness.

Here it’s all beginning to make more sense… but the tones aren’t where I’d like them to be.

So I painted the shirt to gauge how the entire painting should feel, and went back into the face with darker tones to build another ground.

Now it feels right… so, time to add the lighter tones…

The King of Pop. Michael Jackson. I watched every one of his music videos in preparation for this project, and what I realized was this: he was so much a part of my formative years, I could scarcely believe it. His presence… brand… impact… business acumen — has always felt electric. So I went for this palette. Bright. Complementary. A beloved man enshrouded in controversy — on fire.

Here is where it all came together. Bright orange. Bright yellow. Pure red. A slight background gradient.

And there he was, just prior to signature… the painting positively glows in the dark (for real).

I give you — Michael Jackson. You’ll notice the difference in the final image and the working drafts… this was professionally photographed. I work under natural florescent light in the studio, but they tend to throw a darker/warmer spectrum — so the leap to the final always reveals a great deal.

bluesky · Feb 25, 2014

Zack O. Greenburg ‏@zogblog <small class="time" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(187, 187, 187); position: static; float: none; margin-top: 0px;"> 5h</small>
For the full story of how the very talented @Borbay painted the cover of Michael Jackson, Inc, check out his post: http://www.borbay.com/2014/02/24/borbay-paints-michael-jackson-inc-book-cover/ …
Zack O. Greenburg ‏@zogblog <small class="time" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(187, 187, 187); position: static; float: none; margin-top: 0px;"> 5h</small>
Feel free to judge my book Michael Jackson, Inc by its newly-unveiled cover! Painted by @borbay, now live on Amazon: http://mjinc.co

My Next Book: Michael Jackson, Inc. Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Forbes Staff

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