Michael Jackson Is More Interesting Than I Thought

GQ had an article on Michael Jackson that focused on the time right before Off the Wall (and right before plastic surgery) through his appearance at the Motown 25th Anniversary show, where he performed Billie Jean. The cover reads, "When Michael Was Cool." Here are the highlights:

• Michael's great-great grandfather on his mother's side was an Alabama plantation slave named "Prince Screws," who names his son Prince Screws, Jr., who then had Prince Screws III. Michael naming his sons "Prince" actually means something.
• When Michael was 17, he watched Stevie Wonder made "Songs in the Key of Life." Stevie doesn't ask Michael to do anything on the record. Michael just watches.
• Michael started writing his own songs at home, singing the instrumental parts into a recorder. He is passable at piano and plays bass. This was how he made the first recording of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough."
• He records at home with his brother Randy and sister Janet. They are both younger than him.
• Michael's high falsetto voice was carefully crafted to maintain his ability to sing in a higher range, isolating certain vocal cords.
• Michael, in a moment of anger, once, broke into a deep, gruff voice, his natural voice. Liza Minnelli claims to have heard this other voice, too.
• Michael would give detailed interviews to Ebony and Jet magazines, talking about how he trusted only them and that he would speak only them.
• He used to consistently push that he was not gay. He said, "There's a reason why I was created male. I'm not a girl."
• Quincy Jones, who produced Off the Wall and Thriller, used to call Michael "Smelly," since he kept covering up his nose.
• A songwriter brought "Rock with You" to him to record. He went home and wrote "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough."
• Michael only agreed to perform with the Jackson 5 at the Motown 25th Anniversary show after he was promised a solo performance of a non-Motown song. He did "Billie Jean." When he was done, Richard Pryor said, "That was the greatest performance I've ever seen."
• Michael messed up the dance moves on "Billie Jean." He wanted to hold toe stand after the moonwalk longer.
• He's got a weird thing with kids, but it seems too far-fetched to think that he was a child molester.
• There are pictures floating around of what Michael would look like if he had not had surgery. I don't know how accurate they are, but here's one of them.