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"Soul" Magazine Interview

Date of publication confirmed on “Soul” magazine cover (archived)

“Soul” magazine (May 10, 1976) (archived)

At first glance, Michael Jackson, easily the most soft-spoken, gentle and sensitive of the famous family of entertainers, seems in direct contrast with his surroundings. The black, wrought-iron gate with its impersonal talk box which squawks inaudible sentences at you before yawning its slow-moving opening gestures so your car can pass into the family estate, the three huge guard dogs barking up a lather in a small, chain-link enclosure at the end of the drive., the frenetic activity of hired help and countless family members as they move through smoothly choreographed duties. Then, off in the main living room of a rambling , ranch-style home with more hallways and wings than one can count at first visit, sits a slim healthy body wearing the most innocent and peaceful smile one can possibly imagine.

Looking at the perfect neatness and fit of his earth-colored vest and pants (the coat is absent, but you can imagine its presence), one expects nothing less than a low-key, tranquil voice with which to exchange the customary greeting. And that is exactly what one hears.

This, then, is Michael Jackson.

The soft yellow and white décor of the room, decorated by his industrious mother as part of an exercise for a home decorating class, is matched in subtleness by Michael’s gentle mannerisms. Certainly one would not expect to see him in a room boasting searing reds or obnoxious oranges. No. This room is perfect. And once the public relations people, relatives and pets are finally off to other places. Michael begins to talk – about his family, his much adored birds, leaving Motown, his relationship with brother Jermaine, who recently left the Jackson 5.

His birds are scattered throughout the house and grounds. In a study off from the family room sits a yellow and pale green parrot munching contentedly on peanuts poked into his cavernous mouth by little sister Janet. Nearby roosts a large, red-blue-yellow bird whose response to even the kindest gesture is an ear-piercing screech followed by an open, lunging beak. Behind the main house in neat aviaries stocked with delectable fruits and seeds are some rather strange birds looking much like crosses between California vultures and pigeons. Not far from the killer dogs are housed three gorgeous peacocks (two multi-colored and one pure white).

Michael spends a great deal of time with the birds. He even draws pictures of them, at least one of which he has given to his good friend Diana Ross. It isn’t surprising that most of his favorite television shows are centered around animals: shows like “Wild Kingdom” and “Wild World of Animals.”

Michael is a peaceful young man and as such one can’t help, but wonder what effect the recent resignation of brother Jermaine from the group has had on Mike. “None at all,” he’s quick to offer. “He still comes over. We talk to one another. We go different places together. That’s very important because that’s the basis of our whole organisation: good friendship and a strong family. The show business part is important, but even more important is that the family stick together at all times.”

That same attitude of family unity follows through when Michael is questioned regarding the many things which are written about him and the other Jacksons in magazines and newspapers. “Sometimes I read it,” he admits. “It’s interesting. Some of it’s true. What bothers me is when it’s just lies that are made up, but I don’t write to the editors or anything like that. I just let it be ‘cause that’s a part of show business that’s going to happen no matter what. You have to adjust to it.” He also admits that he seldom notices the names of specific writers or journalists, though he is more familiar with the SOUL staff.

One of Michael’s pet peeves is show business personalities who become infatuated with themselves and their achievements and start to let it all go to their heads. “When show business personalities get a certain amount of fame and think they’re exalted and higher than other people,” says Michael. “I feel that’s very wrong. They shouldn’t take that kind of attitude because it’s ignorant. I’ve watched some people go through those kinds of changes and I ask myself what makes them think their blood is any richer than anybody else’s? But I never talk to them about it. Those people just seem to be hard-headed.”

At the urging of Jackson family publicist Steve Manning and SOUL photographer Bob Holland, proceeding are shifted to the warm California sunlight surrounding the family swimming pool, where Michael submits to photographs as his dialogue continues easily. He talks of his interest in writing. “Edgar Allan Poe-type stories,” he explains. “The teacher makes me read them in class. I never want to. Never. But she insists. So I do and afterward everyone starts clapping and that makes me want to improve and get better.”

He also writes music and hopes to come up with material to be included on the group’s next album, their first away from Motown. There is also a strong possibility, informs Michael, that other members on the group will also contribute tunes for the new album.

When it comes to personal friends, Michael’s span the gamut from teenagers to older people. Though he has many associates in his own age range, he also mixes well with older folk, feeling he can learn much from them. “One of the most important things,” he says earnestly, “is to listen to counsel.”

And what does he look for in a friend? “Good humor. Humility. And kindness. That’s very important. There are only certain people we let come past our gate. It depends on what kind of human being the person is. Who you let inside your house is very important.”

One might easily assume that since he hails from a family of nine children, he might have at one time or another silently wished that there were fewer kids in the Jackson clan.

“Not really,” he responds without hesitation. “I think there’s much fun to be had in a big family. You can do different things and relate to one another. We used to kid around and say things like ‘If it wasn’t for you I would get to eat all the fruit in the house’ or ‘It would be great to have the peanut butter to myself,’ but that was all in kidding and we never felt sorry for being a part of a big family.”

In fact, Michael insists that he would himself consider fathering a large family. “I don’t really know,” he says hesitatingly, “but I think I’d like to have a pretty big one.” He is even seriously thinking of the idea of adoption. “Sure. That would be great. There are so many children all over the world who die from hunger. I’ve seen them myself in Manila and India. The poverty is really incredible. So to bring a child into your home and take care of it is saving a life. And life is important.”

One controversy which pops up continuously whenever the Jackson 5 are mentioned is the inevitable comparison between them and groups like the Osmonds and the Sylvers. Predictably, Michael takes this idle chatter in stride.

“Actually,” says Michael in even, clear tones of a choirboy tenor, “I’ve performed on different TV shows with Donny Osmond. We first met them in Canada, but before that I used to talk with Donny about every other day on the phone. We talked about all kinds of things. And yes, people do compare us with them. They also compare us with the Sylvers.

“New groups spring up all the time and there is always competition. I think there is room for everybody. Certain groups may take other people’s styles, but that’s part of show business. In addition to McDonald’s, there’s Burger King. In addition to Thrifty (drug Store), there’s Sav-On. So I don’t consider any of them competition. It’s just more people out there doing their thing.”

While his brothers have become publicly known for their love of expensive cars (Tito restoring several at his home, Jackie has a Rolls, Jermaine has had everything from a Porsche to a Mercedes), Michael has absolutely no desire to own a car. He doesn’t even have a driver license. It’s perhaps difficult to believe, but nonetheless true.

Why? “I just don’t want to,” he concedes. “I just don’t have the desire. Whenever you do something, you have to want to do it. And even though there are some things you just have to do, I don’t have to drive. And I simply don’t want to. There’s nothing special about it for me.”

But while he may be reluctant to drive, he thinks nothing of flying, something which other entertainers fear to the point where they actually have to often seek professional psychological help.

“I used to be afraid when I first started flying,” says Michael. “The person who’s a passenger in the plane is usually scared because he doesn’t know what’s going on in the cockpit. You might think it’s frightening when a plane goes into turbulence and starts shaking, but it’s not scary to the pilot because he knows how well the plane is built. He knows it was built to take that kind of beating. I’ve been in the cockpit and I’ve seen the many safety devices so I’m not as afraid as I was in the beginning.”

While Mike is admittedly happy to be a member of the Jackson 5, he sees that each member can fulfill his own personal professional aspirations without damaging the overall career of the group. And he certainly has his own personal plans.

“I want to produce myself and other artists”, he says. “And I’d like to go into acting. I’d like to do TV specials first, then go into movies for theaters.”

Michael’s musical tastes are varied and perhaps surprising. “Stevie Wonder, of course, is one of my favorites. He’s phenomenal. I also like Barbra Streisand, the Carpenters, Bread, the Temptations and (naturally) Diana Ross. I like a lot of the early Motown sound, especially from the 60’s. But I also like Johnny Mercer. I’m crazy about him. And I like Burt Bacharach, Hal David and Henry Mancini.” A wide range of tastes indeed for a 17-year-old.

And speaking of likes, his tastes in a potential wife are succinct and to the point: “I would like for her to be nice and kind. That’s important.”

To say that Michael is a young man of few words would be accurate, but perhaps it would be a bit more specific to add, as did a young man who has worked for the family for some time, that he doesn’t talk a lot because it just isn’t his style to run off at the mouth and waste words. He would rather choose his words carefully, making each one count. Besides, when you’re with Michael, you sense right off that he’s one person who communicates as much through his attitude and that always captivating smile as he does with words. He doesn’t have to say much.

Ask fans what name comes most immediately to mind when you mention the Jackson 5 and chances are they’ll respond with Michael Jackson. And if indeed the group’s image is of youthful creativity, multifaceted talent and unabashed honest blended with sincere humility, then certainly that image is alive and well in the person of Michael.