“In the studio, Jackson had very specific preferences. Before singing, he would often request a scalding hot drink with cough drops to relax his vocal chords. He liked the music so loud his collaborators often had to wear earplugs or leave the room. He usually sang with the lights off, as the darkness allowed him to totally immerse himself in the song without feeling self-conscious.

 

As he sang, he also danced, stomped, or snapped his fingers. If he didn’t have the lyrics written yet, he would simply scat through the song or make up words as he went along. In between sessions he liked to doodle on stray pieces of paper or play with animals he brought in, including his chimpanzee, Bubbles, and his python, Muscles (who enjoyed the warmth of the control board)” - Joseph Vogel ‘Man in the Music’