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.
