Soul brothers The Jacksons still have magic touch

What’s your favourite musical introduction of all time?

Is it the smooth soul of Marvin Gaye’s Heard It Through The Grapevine? Or maybe it’s George Harrison’s distinctive guitar-stab intro to The Beatles’ classic A Hard Day’s Night?

For me, there’s no doubt it’s the soaring opening bars of disco classic I Want You Back.

I clearly remember the days where I would boogie to the Jackson 5 classic at the dancing, clad in hopelessly out-of-date polyester shirts and rayon flares.

Those threads could survive a nuclear detonation I’m still getting a use out of that gear.

It was my dream back in the day to join The Jackson 5, and I finally got to fulfil that ambition last week as I travelled to Atlantic City to sit down for a chat with the lads Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Jackie.

The Jackson 5 is where Michael of course started his career, and his stellar rise sometimes eclipses his brothers’ achievements. But the guys now just called The Jacksons to avoid confusion were a smashing group in their own right.

There’s amazing tracks like ABC, Can You Feel It, I’ll Be There and of course the aforementioned I Want You Back, one of the most perfect singles of all time.

The guys are on tour at the moment, and still have the magic touch, even though their youngest member is well into his 50s. So after all this time are they happiest onstage?

“Yes,” replied Marlon while the rest nodded. “There’s nothing like being up there singing in front of your fans. When you’re putting out this energy and the audience are enjoying it then there’s nothing like it.

“When they’re having a good time then we’re having a good time.”

After starting to chat I noticed Marlon began to eye me up. “I know who you remind me of,” he said.

I’d heard this patter before I’m usually compared to American comedian Tim Allen. “I’ve got it,” he exclaimed. “It’s Smokey Robinson!”

I knew I’d been overdoing it with the fake tan lately. The next thing that’s happening, the lads and I were singing Tears Of A Clown another sensational song with a great intro.

It was a bizarre moment looks like I can chalk “Singing With The Jacksons” off the to-do list now.

Each of the Jacksons has their own personality. Jermaine who you may remember from celebrity Big Brother a couple of years ago is quite thoughtful and reserved.

Marlon is the fun front man who dances around a lot during the gigs. The one who looks cool with the guitar is Tito, while Jackie is the oldest brother, and probably the most serious.

“We all like having a party on stage,” added Jackie, “That’s what it’s about. We’ve been performing for many years together,” said Jermaine. “So we’re comfortable on stage now. It’s second nature now. That comes from experience.”

The Jacksons’ mother, Katherine, still goes to their shows in fact she was at the one I was at. During the performance of Can You Feel It, she stood up and walked down to the front before shouting one of her boys over.

Apparently she told him the sound wasn’t right and he had to sort it. It seems like you’re never too old for a telling from your mum!

You got a sense the lads were hugely comfortable singing with each other and could crack jokes at the others’ expense, like any group of brothers.

“The other night Tito had to go off stage and head to the bathroom,” added Marlon with a grin, “On Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, appropriately.”

“I was only gone 30 seconds,” Tito interjected, rolling his eyes. “I tried to go during the break, but nothing would happen!

“Then we have a part where Michael’s songs come in. And Michael spoke to me. He said, ‘Tito, go to the bathroom’. So I did!”

I know people say The Jacksons leave it all out there on the floor but that would have been a bit too much.