Making Michael delves deep inside the career of one of the most successful, enigmatic and controversial entertainers of all time: Michael Jackson. Side-stepping sensationalism, journalist Mike Smallcombe enters uncharted territory as he takes you behind the scenes to reveal the real Jackson, a man few people ever got to know.   Interviewing over sixty of Jackson's associates including managers, lawyers, music executives, producers, musicians and engineers - many of whom are speaking about their experiences publicly for the first time - he provides exclusive access to one of the biggest-selling recording artists in history.   Featuring a foreword by Matt Forger, one of Jackson's longest serving and most loyal collaborators,  Making Michael  takes readers into the studio with the King of Pop, charting the creation of record-breaking albums including  Thriller,   Bad ,  Dangerous  and HIStory  and the twists and turns that occurred along the way. Untold stories, revelations and secrets finally see the light of day as Jackson's career outside the studio is also examined.   Smallcombe remains objective and doesn't shy away from exploring the fall outs, Jackson's relentless pursuit of perfectionism and a cutthroat shrewdness and competitiveness few knew existed. "Explosive..extraordinary" - Sunday Express "Revelatory" - The Daily Mirror "A fascinating book that I could not put down. It's fast, furious and truly compelling, If Michael were alive I am sure he would have been very proud of Mike Smallcombe's book. This truly is it, a must read" - Kathryn Milofsky, Exec Producer Brian Oxman Show Like millions across the globe, I was shocked when Michael died on that unforgettable day in June 2009. He kept a low profile after the image-shattering second child abuse allegations culminated in an acquittal in court four years earlier. But three months before his untimely death, he announced 50 shows at London's O2 Arena as part of a comeback tour called This Is It. All 50 dates sold out in record time, and I somehow obtained tickets for the opening night on July 8, which was later pushed back five days. After Michael's death, which placed him in the spotlight more than ever before, I read the few credible Michael Jackson biographies that were available. Although they provide plenty of insight, the primary focus is the personal life; in terms of his career, there are several gaps. There is almost zero information about Michael's final three studio albums  Dangerous ,  HIStory and Invincible , or the remix album Blood on the Dance Floor . Other gaps include parts of Michael's career outside the studio, such as the world tours, his fall out with Sony Music, his movie dreams, his work in the secretive last five years of his life and the preparations for This Is It. I couldn't fathom how there wasn't a book based solely on the 45-year career of a man many believe to be the greatest entertainer of all time. Then, one night early in 2010, something just clicked. I felt confident I could take on the challenge. I wanted to know a different Michael Jackson; to discover the untold stories and secrets behind an enthralling, albeit turbulent career. The aim was to write a biography about a whole other life; the Michael Jackson who made making music his life's work rather than the one portrayed on the front pages of the tabloids. I wanted to delve deeper into his career than ever before, and I didn't want to leave any stones unturned. But it was also important to remain objective and not take a fan's point of view. Mike Smallcombe is a journalist who currently resides in England. Mike, who spent his youth living in both Germany and Cornwall, graduated from the University of Exeter with a degree in English Language before relocating to London, where he completed his journalist training with the Press Association. Mike then returned to the South West, where he joined the staff at Devon and Cornwall Media. Mike has dedicated much of the past five years of his life to delivering an unprecedented account of Michael Jackson's career. By interviewing over sixty of Jackson's collaborators - many of them in Los Angeles - Mike gained access to the very closest figures behind his pulsating career.