Michael Jackson: From Gary, Indiana to the Biggest Star Alive

A boy from a two-bedroom house in Gary, Indiana becomes the most famous human being alive. But the same childhood that built Michael Jackson may also be the thing that began to break him.  In Part 1 of this two-part story, we go back to the very start: a steelworker father with stalled musical dreams, a houseful of children, and rehearsals enforced with belts and fear.  From talent-show wins to a Motown deal, from the Jackson 5 to "I Want You Back" topping the charts, Michael's rise is explosive, and so is the pressure. We follow the road from disco and Off the Wall to the record-shattering Thriller, the moonwalk that stopped a room, the Pepsi fire that left lasting damage, the billion-dollar music catalogue, and the appearance that kept changing under the world's gaze.  By the time he buys Neverland and the first allegation surfaces, the King of Pop's story has already turned. Music history, family, fame, and the cost of all three.    Topics Included  How a boy from Gary, Indiana became the King of Pop Joe Jackson's brutal rehearsals and the abuse allegations within the family The real story of who discovered the Jackson 5 The Motown years and four consecutive number-one hits Off the Wall, Thriller, and the moonwalk at Motown 25 The 1984 Pepsi commercial fire and the start of a painkiller dependency Buying the Beatles catalogue and the billion-dollar fallout with Paul McCartney Why Michael Jackson's appearance changed, including vitiligo and surgery Neverland Ranch and the first allegation that changed everything Resources and Further Reading  Michael Jackson - Encyclopaedia Britannica The Jackson 5 - Motown Museum Michael Jackson - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Pepsi fire left Michael Jackson in pain - Los Angeles Times Host & Show InfoHosts: Kyle Risi & Adam CoxEditor: Giordanno Bottezini Intro Music: Alice in dark WonderlandCommunity & Calls to ActionReview & follow on: Spotify & Apple PodcastsInstagram: @theCompendiumPodcastWebsite: thecompendiumpodcast.comSupport us: Sign up to PatreonShare this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favourite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.