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"Soul" Newspaper Interview

“Soul” newspaper (January 18, 1973)

Six European cities are now recovering from the high-powered onset of the illustrious young vocal group, The Jackson Five. The famous five went across the sea thrilling thousands and thousands of hysterical fans and breaking concert attendance records which were once the exclusive property of the Beatles Once they arrived back in the States, the Jackson Five eagerly told their impressions of the tour in a SOUL interview.

The early-morning arrival at the London Airport proved to be a very frightening experience for the Motown group. As they filed off the plane--nine-year-old Randy Jackson included--the mass of fans became uncontrollable. The security personnel had not counted on their huge impact and frantically worked to rescue the terrified American visitors. Marlon, Tito, Michael, Jackie, Jermaine, and Randy all ran in different directions trying to get to the waiting car.

With only one policeman to guard him against the crowds, Jermaine's healthy bush quickly disappeared by the handfuls. Besides losing a shoe, Michael ran into further misfortune by simply wearing a scarf around his neck. "He should have really been frightened", Jermaine said. "They were pulling on both ends of the scarf--choking him. He put his hand under the scarf so it wouldn't tighten up on his neck!"

Because of his small size, Randy was the only one who had no trouble slipping in and out of the throngs of fans.

After a narrow escape, they were all safely whisked away into the waiting limousine and taken to the Churchill Hotel--where, coincidentally, the Osmond Brothers were also staying. "We checked in first", Michael was quick to explain. "We didn't even know they were there until one of them called up on the phone."

The Jackson Five and the Osmond Brothers are competitors not only in show biz, but in backyard sports, as well. "We have a basketball game scheduled very soon, and we have a game with the Sylvers, too", said Tito.

At the English box offices, the Jackson Five outdid themselves! Papa Jackson boasted that the two performances at the London Stadium as well as the two Liverpool shows had all sold out! This feat previously had been accomplished by no one in England's theater history--not even the Beatles!

High up in the Churchill Hotel, the boys could look down on the London streets to see mobs of young fans--mostly girls--screaming and shouting up to them and singing out the lyrics of Jackson Five hits. Wherever press account, the Jacksons at one point went to the roof and gave an impromptu concert in an effort to calm the screaming, shoving young people.

The hotel attendants turned the hoses on the overzealous crowd obstructing hotel traffic. And so, sopping young girls battled against the powerful force of water with their mouths open wide--all to catch a glimpse of the Jackson Five.

Still, the boys managed to see the sights.

Of the four countries they visited, 19-year-old Tito liked England the best--especially Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guards.

"We saw everything", Randy chimed in.

Jermaine gave these more detailed impressions: "We did a lot of shopping and took pictures. The people in Europe, especially in London, dress better than Americans. They're a lot slimmer over there and their clothes are more fashionable--they seem to fit better. Plaids are real popular now."

In Amsterdam, the Jackson Five, along with the rest of the large Motown entourage of photographers, promotion and PR people, picked up a 707 jet--all dolled up with the J-5 logo painted on its side--for their exclusive use while traveling to their European destinations. The Jackson brothers took turns riding in the cockpit with the pilots.

Of course, newly-married Tito was accompanied on the tour by his very pretty wife, Delores Martes. "Married life is fantastic", Tito reported after five months. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii last summer.

Michael, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy, all earned educational credit for their travels through Paris, Munich, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Liverpool. In all six cities, the unrelenting Jackson clan would pile into a big bus and soak up the flavor and famous sights of Europe. Jermaine explained that it was "sort of like a school field trip for us."

Though they didn't like German food, they loved rambling through the Olympic Village in Munich and noted where the Israeli athletes were held as hostages. The Jackson Five and Randy were each given two solid gold coins and souvenirs from the German government. They all toured a German brewery--but none got a chance to sample the famous beer.

Amsterdam is the city of canals, boats, cobblestone streets, and bicycles. And it was very surprising for the boys to discover that so many Dutch citizens in Amsterdam are Black!

Fourteen-year-old Michael rates Paris as the trip's highlight. He dug the clear and sunny Parisian weather, the delicious cuisine, and he got a chance to practice his classroom French.

Customs inspections was somewhat of an inconvenience, they said. In Munich, the airport officials thoroughly searched each passenger on the J-5 jet. Jermaine was sent through the metal searching device several times until his keys were discovered as the source of distraction.

"We would wait until we got to the airport to get things duty-free", Marlon explained.

"But when we went through customs in the States, we ended up paying the tax anyway!"

Now once again at their home-base in Los Angeles, the Jacksons are looking anxiously to the next overseas excursion--most likely to Japan and maybe Indonesia. Though record distribution in foreign countries is considerably slower than in the U.S., it hardly dims the record-buying fervor for Jackson Five hits.

One of the best things about returning home for the boys is to haul out and go through the big sacks of fan mail--an undertaking Michael and Jermaine especially like. They appreciate letters which include a self-addressed stamped envelope, a practice commonly used by British fans.

There's never really enough time for relaxation, particularly since this is the Yuletide season. The Jackson Five are hitting the road again, this time to Houston, Little Rock, and other southern cities. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline to be part of a number one singing group, now gone international.

But if stamina, family cohesiveness, and talent are the keys to enduring success, the Jackson Five will undoubtedly be on top of the record charts indefinitely.