"About once a year, I photographed the Jackson Five on their famous family compound in Encino, California, which is located in the San Fernando Valley, a kind of suburb of Los Angeles. I used to photograph the Jackson Five for a youth magazine, and it was always an experience like no other because these kids were like robots. You smile when there's a camera in front of you. They would do pretty much anything that was asked of them, as long as there was a camera in front of them. And first you take individual shots of Tito, Jermaine or Michael, and after you're done with everyone and then everyone comes together, you take the big group shots, and that's it. It was like a strange photo conveyor belt. Anyway, I was in the process of taking some solo shots of Michael, and I changed the film and put a new role in the camera. And I happen to experience a moment where he just stood aside before I approached him to make more solo recordings and he was lost in his own little world.

And for me, this photo says I'm the loneliest kid in the world, and I especially love the John Lennon-like hat and boots he wears. He, Michael Jackson, was always a bit of a strange boy and he always seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. I remember that day." - NEAL

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The Story behind the Picture – by Neal Preston



Neal Preston - Exhilarated and Exhausted

BOOK TIP

Neal Preston is one of the greatest rock photographers of all time. "Exhilarated and Exhausted" is an unrestricted retrospective of his 40-year career. This was produced in collaboration with Neal and is the first time he has granted unrestricted access to his legendary archive – it is considered one of the most important and extensive photo collections in the music industry. This extraordinary band is a who's who of rock kings.

Neal has been the official tour photographer for Led Zeppelin, Queen, Bruce Springsteen and The Who, and has also photographed extensively the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson and many more.

The book includes his portraits, backstage moments, live performances, post-performance highs and lows, and outtakes. Neal's photographs vibrate with a palpable and inimitable intensity. Neal is a true insider, and the images are brought to life by his liner text – a stunning insight into life as a rock 'n' roll photographer on tour.