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"Entertainment Rap!" Magazine Interview

Date range assessed by the facts that the print date is February 1973 (According to Chris Cadman’s “Michael Jackson Maestro”) and “In a month or so they would be packing their bags again and heading for Japan”. They arrived at their first Japan concert on April 27, 1973.

“Entertainment Rap!” magazine (February 1973) (archived)

I love the Jackson Five. I think that's fair to tell you right off the bat. And it's not like I'm thirteen or even eighteen. And even when I was, I never was the screaming-fainting type so I had no idea what half the female teenage population was on about until my first interview with the J-5 a little over a year ago. Since then I've spent a lot of time with the family and I'm here to tell you they are special. They're not your average anything. They're on the top of the heap because they are the top of the heap. The world is full of teen stars. Some current, some past, and some potential. But the Jackson Five (plus ten-year-old Randy who's now a permanent member) are a different breed completely. To begin with, they're real human beings, each one of them. They have nothing that an idol-hungry public can permanently rattle or seriously damage. No amount of screaming, mobbing. rioting or adoration seems to go to their heads, and that's incredible! They have an uncanny sense of what's real and what's bull, and if you want to have a decent discussion with any of them, you better cut the jive and get to the point. I've interviewed hundreds of "classy" stars, but it was the Jackson Five who taught me this! This month, between sessions, rehearsals, and tours, we all got together and sat outside in their beautiful backyard for a few hours. Here's what it sounded like:

Their summer cross-country tour was sensational. Their first European tour reminded everybody of the time the Beatles first set foot in America — mobs and hysteria! In a month or so they would be packing their bags again and heading for Japan. Michael's first solo album is still high on the charts. Jermaine's is a smashing success. Jackie's was just released this month. Marlon begins working on his any day, and Tito has some pretty far out ideas for his. All in all, catching up to the J-5 (plus Randy and Janet and Papa Joe and Mama Katherine...) at their beautiful Encino home wasn't easy. But as always, it was a lot fun!

"The kids in Europe were different from our fans here in the states", Michael began. While Jermaine, Randy, Marlon, Tito, and Jackie all have their share of hysterically devoted fans. there's no doubt that Michael Jackson is and always has been the center of attention. Ever since the fateful day Diana Ross sent invitations out, asking all her show biz friends to "Come meet The Jackson Five and watch their sensational eight-year-old lead singer" Michael has been a superstar in the teen world. "They would gather below our hotel windows all over Europe and sing to us", he continued. "They'd stay out there all day and night. Here, look at these pictures my father took from our window in London. See? See what I mean? That's them. They're singing to us. You can't tell too much from a photograph, but that's what they're doing."

"They'd sing things like 'We want the Jackson!' and we'd go to the window and wave and throw down pictures. It was really neat."

"How did you know what they were saying in Amsterdam or Germany?" I asked.

"They spoke English." Jermaine said. joining Mike and me at their backyard redwood table. "The kids would sing up to us at our hotel windows."

"I just told her that", Michael smiled.

"Oh. did Michael already tell you that?"

"Well, now I know he wasn't making it up", I said.

"Maybe we're both lying." Jermaine cut back.

"I'm sure they are", Tito said, coming over with Randy and Marlon.

Joe Jackson Interview (Part 1 of 4)

RAP: Do you see Tito and Jermaine getting extremely good at their instruments? For example, The Beatles worked brilliantly as a group we all know, but as time went on George Harrison and John Lennon especially got extremely good at their electric guitar playing. As far as the "rock world" was concerned, they could have made it on that alone. Do you see something like this happening with either Tito or Jermaine?

J.J.: Ah, that's very interesting. We've thought about that and I have to say: yes! As time goes on, I've noticed both Tito and Jermaine really taking their instruments seriously. I know they feel a lot more comfortable onstage today than when they began. Often, and this just isn't onstage, they venture off into things that make the songs sound good. I definitely think they enjoy exploring music. They're always trying to better the sound, if you know what I mean.

RAP: Do you ever sit down and play with them after all these years?

J.J.: No, I'm just there close by whether they're rehearsing, recording or onstage.

RAP What do you do when you travel with them?

J.J.: I more or less advise the boys' road manager Reggie, and help to see that everything goes well at the rehearsal before each show. During showtime I walk around and see how the sound seems to be working, which is easy because if you see The J-5's fans up in the top balcony keeping time to whatever the boys are singing onstage, that means the sound's getting out ok. If they're not doing anything up there, then I know they can't hear the music right.

RAP: Is it a big hassle taking so much stuff with you when you travel? I mean I'm looking around this room right now at all these unpacked trunks with the boys' instruments and whatever. Do you ever discover that you've left something in Chicago and something else in Cleveland? How do you keep it together?

J.J.: Oh we have an equipment man who handles that.

RAP Just one person?

J.J.: Yes. And we have a security man also, Bill, who takes care of the boys. He really looks out for them. He's a wonderful man. He's also a detective for the LAPD. He's very good.

RAP: What do you mean? What kind of things does he have to watch out for?

J.J.: Well, he goes on tour with us and makes sure that they put something around the stages to keep fans from getting to the boys. He organizes the security, like ten to fifteen policemen within the city and hires them to stand around the stage to make sure no one gets through and climbs on the stage.

RAP: Is this a constant problem? Well, of course it is. don't know why I asked that!

J.J.: Oh yeah! A lot of times we've had to actually stop the show because some fans have gotten through and start attacking the boys.

RAP: Jermaine told me that the last time you were on tour every time they sang "Never Can Say Goodbye" the audience thought they were about to split so they rushed the stage and missed two numbers the J-5 still planned to sing.

J.J.: Right. That was really funny. The boys had to drop their instruments and race offstage before the concert was really even over. They actually had at least two more songs they were going to sing, but there's nothing you can do once those kids start rushing the stage. Fifteen policemen can't do much!

RAP: That must be very frightening. Is it flattering for [you] or just plain terrifying?

Well, I'm sure they understand that no one is out to do them any intentional harm. but let me put it to you this way: When those girls start rushing --  [they] run for their lives!

RAP: Yes, I see their point.

J.J.: One time poor Randy, who was all of nine, got caught in the wings by some extremely large and very excited young lady! She grabbed him and kept hugging and squeezing him. I think Jermaine or someone came to the rescue just in time. Randy was in a daze. It's overwhelming no matter how many times you see it happen. It's an amazing sight.

RAP: How was Europe? The reports we got were sensational!

J.J.: We were mobbed everywhere.

RAP: I hate to keep bringing up this Beatles parallel, but do you realize that that's exactly what happened when The Beatles finally came to America for the first time? Everyone had heard so much about them and of course they had several big hits over here just like your boys do in Europe, so that when they finally arrived...! Well everyone knows they changed the entire course of pop music over here. I wonder what the J-5's impact will be now that the tour is over.

J.J.: I don't know. All I can tell you is that when we arrived in London we couldn't even hear the jet engines the kids were screaming so loud! They pulled hair out of Jermaine's head! Tito was bruised; Marlon was shaken; Randy was absolutely panicked; even Jackie was nervous; and of course Michael was nearly devoured!

RAP: Were you scared?

J.J.: Yes.

HAP Were you proud?

J.J.: Yes.

RAP I guess we all are.

J.J.: Yes!

(Interview Part 3 of 4)

R: How do you make the decisions about what music equipment the boys use on stage?

J.J.: We buy the equipment as we need it. Some songs we record have a different sound, so we have to have the right musical equipment onstage to reproduce that sound. It's important that we get the same sound on stage as we get in the studio.

R: Why did Motown move you to California?

J.J.: It wasn't so much that California was the place for us, but that California's the place where entertainment is going to he a major thing in the music world--which it already is. Out here you've got television shows, the movie industry, all sorts of contacts. And that's one of the things Michael and Jermaine are really looking forward to.

R: What is?

J.J.: Doing movies.

R: Michael and Jermaine want to make films?

J.J.: Oh yes. Michael has done a little bit of acting on different television shows. And Jermaine would really like to have a chance to do a film. I think they'd make very good actors, if they could just get the right parts. It doesn't have to be a whole movie of them. They could just have parts in it. Ever since Michael sang the title tune to "Ben", he's wanted to get more things in the movie field. Yes, if anybody's interested tell them--The J-5 would like to do a good movie... real bad!

R: Far out! I had no idea they wanted to act.

J.J.: They still want to keep singing, though.

R: Oh, of course. That goes without saying. I just didn't know they had something else they were interested in trying, like films.

J.J.: Oh, sure. We have all kinds of plans.

R: Like...?

J.J.: Like recording other groups. You know, setting up our own studio and uniting records on groups we would "discover". Also I have plans for my youngest daughter, Janet. I think she could be a singer on the Diana Ross status. She already sings well, and she likes it. She's outgoing and pleasant, and she's not shy!

R: I noticed! That was a funny story she told me about Randy riding his bicycle into the swimming pool by mistake!

J.J.: Ha, ha... yes! Janet's not afraid to talk to people, that‘s for sure.

R: Now you wouldn't add her to the Jackson 5 would you, the way you've done with Randy?

J.J.: We don't know what's going to happen yet. It‘s a little early for that. We're sort of grooming her now. She gets in end tries to play different instruments. She sings alone with Michael and Randy and they sound pretty good together. I’d like to see Randy nod Janet get a song together. Yeah, they'd be a good team together!

R: When is Jackie's solo album due out?

J.J.:It‘s going to be released as soon as he gets through working on it. As a matter of fact, he's out out having his pictures taken for the cover right now.

R: Do you think any of your sons will wind up writing music seriously?

J.J.: Oh yes. They can write music now. They've already written some good songs, they‘re just not recording them yet. I'd like to make some demonstration recordings of the stuff they've written to see how it sounds on tape.

R: Do you rehearse regularly even when you're not touring?

J.J.: Yes. A new song comes out and we want to get a big jump on it so we can get all the techniques down good. So we rehearse it over and over see what we can do it.

R: With everybody on different schedules--like Jackie out getting photos taken now, and Tito living somewhere else--how do you organize when you'll practice in advance?

J.J.: Well we con rehearse without Jackie and Tito, you know. All we have to do is get the music guys to learn their part of the song first. Whoever isn't here can learn their part by themselves, bring it in another time and put it together with the rest.

R: What "music guys“?

J.J.: Tito, Jermaine... our drummer Johnny.

R: Ahh. So they don't all have to be here at the same time?

J.J.: No.

R: And when you record a song, do you put down the instrumental track first and then add the vocals later?

J.J.: Yes.