Luke Owain Boult speaks with Marlon and Jackie Jackson about growing up as the Jackson 5, coping in the music industry, and their 50th anniversary in the music business.
“We just love performing. We’re really enjoying the music, so we just love doing it,” Jackie Jackson beams when asked about the Jacksons’ decision to get back on the road and tour. His voice is gentle and easy-going, and speaking little louder than a whisper he reflects on whether there have been any changes in the act: “Well we’re getting a little bit older, but when we’re on the stage, people just want to hear the old songs, all the hits we’ve prepared, and that’s what we try to do: stuff that they like. It’s hard to put a set together, playing what we think they want to hear.”
I ask why he thinks their hit songs remain popular to this day: “They grab you right away. When I heard our music for the first time on the radio I had to pull over on the side of the road to hear it, I heard it so, so many times in the studio, getting the song ready, mixing it, and mastering it, so once you hear it on the radio, it’s a different sound. It’s better than you ever heard in the studio. When I first heard it on the radio I pulled over to the side of the road and just listened to the whole song. It was very surreal, I’d just put it together with my brothers, and it sounded great.”
When did he realise that this would go on to being something really important? “When we started doing so many interviews. We knew something was supposed to happen then, like we were on our way, and people were calling from news and live television and…”
Marlon Jackson then joins the conference call and the brothers exchange pleasantries. I introduce myself and ask how he’s doing. “I woke up and everything works, I’m doing great,” he responds. You can’t really ask for anything more than that. Jackie carries on with what he was saying: “When we released we were onto something special with that first record, and all the calls for interviews from the magazines.” They both laugh. “I knew right then we were on to something.”
The conversation then turns to the Jackson 5 era. Marlon takes over: “We were a group, five young boys, targeting a demographic area where there was a void. There was nobody making music towards our demographic. That’s what was so magical about it. The music we were producing at the time and disseminating to our audience didn’t only appeal to the young demographic we were targeting, but also an older demographic too. I think that was very magical for us, and something I would never ever forget. I mean our first four records going number one was magical and it gave us international fame around the globe. These types of things you never forget.”
“I remember the first practice for television,” says Jackie. “But I don’t think I remember the first practice.” Marlon elaborates: “We used to go to school and go to practice right from school. I remember one time we waited in the rehearsal hall and we couldn’t get inside, because someone was running over. At that time, we used to book the rehearsal hall for three o’clock. It was four o’clock and we were still hearing noise in there, and when the door opened, guess who walked out? I’ll give you a guess, one of the greatest guitar players ever.” I incorrectly guess Chuck Berry. “Nope!” Marlon laughs. “Jimmy Hendrix walked out. He’d taken an hour of our time, and we only rehearsed for three hours because we had to get back to our halls to go to sleep.” “He was happy to see us,” Jackie adds. “Two weeks after that, that’s when he died,” Marlon replies.
Conversation then turns to the tour, and Jackie talks about his love for the UK: “Great Britain has always been one of our biggest markets, I remember going there for the first time to London on a plane, and it was five in the morning and I think we were coming down to get ready to land and we were told that there were fans at the airport waiting for us at 5 in the morning. We love our British fans quite a bit.” Surely, as children this experience must have been quite stressful. Marlon explains: “Don’t forget we started when we were kids so it was normal for us to deal with some of the things that take place in this industry, we remain level headed and I don’t take anything for granted and we’re very thankful for the blessings that the Lord has blessed on this family. And our fans have supported us throughout the years. I think that’s what has kept us grounded.”
With all this talk about the past, I ask if there’s any more material that they’re currently working on. Jackie responds: “We’re doing it now. We have this new…” Marlon jokingly interrupts: “We have a new track, it’s called Hey Luke What’s Up?.” Then in one of the most surreal moments of my life, two of the Jacksons start singing “Hey Luke What’s Up.” It’s not a song. I checked. “Seriously though, yes,” says Marlon. “We’re putting stuff together right now for our 50th anniversary. I don’t want to give anything away, but that’s what we’re doing right now.”
To end, do they have a message for their fans in Wales? Marlon excitedly says: “Come party with us. It’s gonna be a great, great concert. We’re going to play all the hits. We want to thank them for all the years they’ve supported us and this family for so many years, without them we wouldn’t be who we are. We look forward to seeing them. Tell them to bring their dancing shoes, because it’s going to be a great evening.”
The Jacksons, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. Sun 25 June. Tickets: £55. Info: 029 2023 4500 / www.motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk