Der Jackson-Family-Thread

Ich mache mal einen Thread auf für News, welche nur und ausschließlich andere Familienmitglieder der Jacksons betreffen, also nicht Michael oder Janet:

Tito Jackson opens up about loan lawsuit

Sunday, November 23 12:30 pm

Michael Jackson's brother Tito has broken his silence over a lawsuit from former pal, martial arts teacher Matt Fiddes, insisting the legal spat over an unpaid loan is meritless.

Fiddes, who has previously served as the Thriller hitmaker's bodyguard, claims he gave Jackson 5 star Tito £20,000 earlier this year so the musician could afford to cover a family trip to England to look at potential properties.

He subsequently filed suit against Jackson for almost £12,500, alleging the star hasn't paid the loan back.

But, three months after the news first surfaced, Jackson has spoken out, dismissing the lawsuit as "totally false".

Jackson claims the 10-year friendship turned sour when Fiddes tried to get more involved in the filming of TV documentary The Jacksons Are Coming, which chronicled the family's search for a UK home earlier this summer.

And when he realised Fiddes was just using him to further his own career, Jackson cut all ties with the martial artist and even stepped down as godfather to Fiddes' children.

He says, "When I saw Matt trying to run me the way he wanted, I put a stop to it. That's when things started falling apart. Some people want to be seen in your company and want to piggyback on your 40 years of hard work. I was supposed to have been godfather to two of his kids, but I cancelled that, because I can't be a godfather if I can't even get along with the father."

But Jackson insists he's not angry at his old friend's behaviour, because he's been dealing with people like that since finding fame with the ABC hitmakers.

He adds, "Matt's a very nice guy and I'm not mad at him. I'm disappointed and that's worse. I shared a lot with him and thought he was my friend... People try and use you because of the family name, and I just deal with it because I've been dealing with it all my life."

Tito Jackson opens up about loan lawsuit - Yahoo! News UK

TITO JACKSON SET FOR SOLO CAREER

24.11.2008 01:46:58

MICHAEL JACKSON's older brother TITO is launching a career as a solo artist - at the age of 55.

The former Jackson 5 hitmaker has not released a track since The Jacksons' final LP, 2300 Jackson Street, in 1989.

But he is now set to embark on his own music venture, once he's moved to the U.K.

His search for a home on the British Isles has been documented in TV show The Jacksons Are Coming, which is due to air in Britain on Thursday (27Nov08).

He says, "I'm looking to move there, probably somewhere close to London.
"I'm planning on releasing my first solo single around the time of the documentary. My dream is to come to the U.K. to perform as a solo artist."

MICHAEL JACKSON - TITO JACKSON SET FOR SOLO CAREER

JACKSON 5 - TITO JACKSON SUED BY 'SECRET DAUGHTER

12.01.2009 02:16:56
Contactmusic.com

A New York woman is suing TITO JACKSON, alleging the former JACKSON 5 star is her real father.

Tanay Rodney Jackson filed a petition at Brooklyn Family Court last summer (08), in a bid to have the guitarist declared as her dad.

She alleges Tito - the older brother of pop superstar Michael Jackson - regularly visited her in her teens, but refused to acknowledge her existence in public.

Tanay tells the New York Post, "He told me he was my father when I was 27. (He would) pop over now and then. He didn't want it public. He was ashamed."

The singer has three grown-up sons, Toriano, Taryll and Tito Joseph, with his ex wife Delores Martes.

JACKSON 5 - TITO JACKSON SUED BY 'SECRET DAUGHTER'

Interview with Tito Jackson:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgU0EXDhveU]YouTube - interview yesterday Tito Jackson[/ame]

Folgende Meldung mit sehr, sehr hoher Vorsicht genießen, zumal es ja erst kürzlich ein Dementi gab, dass Michael nichts mit seinen Brüdern machen wird:

The Jacksons knew my songs: Adnan Sami

22 Feb 2009, 1534 hrs IST, SUBHASH K JHA

"I'm working with an album with Janet and Michael Jackson. I'm producing and composing their next album," announces Adnan proudly.

When Adnan first received a phone call from the Jacksons they were discussing his music in detail. "The Jacksons knew every detail about my songs. They had studied my music in detail. I listened quietly to them talk about my music. These were the same guys whose music I grew up with."

How did it happen? "Michael's brother Jermaine's wife Halima is from Afghanistan. For some time she lived in Chandigarh. She got acquainted with my music while in India and she took my music to LA and introduced her husband to it. And then Jermaine introduced Michael and Janet to my music."

Adnan has had three meetings with the Jacksons in Los Angeles. "It's progressing slowly. They like to work at their own pace. No hurry. The album is like Motown-music-meets-world-music-meets-Indian -music. I've brought the Sarangi and the Tabla-Dholak into their music."
It’s Adnan's first English-language album, and being produced by the Jacksons.

Adnan is also singing one song in the album. Speaking of the Jacksons Adnan says, "They're very humble people. Always attentive to what I say, always open to innovations and suggestions. They recognized a component in my musical style, and that is this. I really like strong base lines in my songs. What they don't know is, that's something I learnt from the music of the Jacksons." This is the first full-fledged collaboration between an Asian musician and a major American musical icon.

"I can't believe I'm actually working with the Jacksons. We've completed four songs...I'm really enjoying this. I realize I enjoy playback singing. But the independent albums are where I'm totally able to express myself."

Adnan is also working on his new Hindi album which would appear early next year. About Haule haule a song in Yashraj Films' Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi sounding similar to Adnan Sami's Kabhinahin track Adnan says diplomatically, "I love Yashji very much. He's very special to me not just as a filmmaker. But also because he has endorsed my application for citizenship .I won't say anything beyond that."

The application for Adnan's Indian citizenship is under consideration. "I'm as Indian as anyone.I've been here for ten years. Mumbai is my home

The Jacksons knew my songs: Adnan Sami-Bollywood-Entertainment-The Times of India

Update on the Jacksons

2/22/2009

According to Tito Jackson's official website, he has been in the studio this past year working on his very first solo project. The album, not yet titled, will be released in 2009 and is being produced by 3T.

The "Destination Fame" movie starring Joe Jackson will be released on DVD on March 24, 2009.

Michael Jackson Blog: Update on the Jacksons

Another Jackson Release Delay

2/22/2009

The Motown "Michael Jackson - Hello World" CD release has been pushed back to March according to Motown.

Michael Jackson Blog: Another Jackson Release Delay

Carlisle judge tells Tito Jackson to repay £12,000 debt

Exclusive By Phil Coleman
Last updated 11:47, Tuesday, 24 February 2009

A Carlisle judge has ordered the older brother

District judge John Park issued the order against Tito Jackson on Friday after a claim was lodged at the city’s county court by the celebrity bodyguard Matt Fiddes.

Tito was a member of The Jackson 5, the 1970s band that launched the career of his brother Michael.

The legal case was presented by lawyer Nicholas Richards, of the Carlisle firm Cartmell Shepherd.

Mr Fiddes accused Tito, 54, of failing to repay £12,000 of a £20,000 loan.

The claim said that Tito needed to borrow money to pay for flights to the UK because nobody else within his family would stump up the cash. The pop star was travelling to the UK to make a Channel 4 documentary about his life and his family.

Tito now faces the prospect of court-appointed debt collectors in the US being sent to his home in California to recover the debt or goods worth a similar amount.

Commenting after the judgement in his favour, Mr Fiddes said: “I hold no bad feelings towards Tito Jackson.

“I have great respect for the Jackson family."

“I am glad the matter is now closed and refuse to comment any further.”

Mr Richards, a litigation partner with Cartmell Shepherd, said: “Tito has not contested Matt’s claim. He has had representation but not from a firm of solicitors.

“But his representative has acknowledged that there was an agreement.

“Now, we have to think about how we will enforce the judgement.”

Mr Richards said he had been taken aback by the scale of international media interest when the case first became public last year.

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/n…_517695?referrerPath=home

Jackson's brother sued over debt

4 hours 47 mins ago

A martial arts instructor said he has successfully sued Michael Jackson's brother Tito over an unpaid debt.

Matt Fiddes paid more than £20,000 for the singer and his associates to travel to the UK as the pop family considered moving to the north Devon countryside.

The event was featured in the Channel 4 documentary The Jacksons Are Coming.

Mr Fiddes, who considered himself Tito's friend and had worked as security for Michael in the past, then fell out with the family and he took Tito to court after he only repaid part of the debt.

His solicitor Nicholas Richards confirmed he was awarded the full balance, £12,526.40, by Carlisle County Court.

Mr Fiddes, from Barnstaple, said: "I hold no bad feelings towards Tito Jackson. I have great respect for the Jackson family. I am glad the matter is now closed and refuse to comment any further."

The 29-year-old is still pursuing a libel action against Channel 4 who he claims falsely portrayed him in the documentary as "seeking to capitalise from the publicity of the Jacksons' arrival by promoting himself and his martial arts business".

Mr Richards said: "We are very pleased with the result, the balance of the debt was repaid in full."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20…ed-over-debt-5f8abb3.html

Face-to-face with Michael Jackson’s brother, Marlon:
‘I don’t look at my brother as a star’

By MIKE AWOYINFA
Saturday, March 7, 2009

Marlon Jackson
Photo: Sun News Publishing

It’s a scene straight out of a dream or maybe an April Fool Day’s joke. But this is not April. And I am not dreaming.
For real, the man sitting face-to-face with me at Barcelos, a fast-food restaurant in Ikeja, eating chicken and chips with me is no other person than the immediate elder brother of Michael Jackson. Yes, the one and only Michael Jackson, the king of pop, the eccentric megastar, the man whose album Thriller is the biggest-selling of all times, the man who no longer has a nose, having chiselled his nose so many times that there is no nose on his face.

And what you have today is a horror-movie character whose scarred face scare children. The Michael Jackson who has lost everything and is reportedly facing bankruptcy.

Marlon Jackson has come with two African-American mayors on a mission to turn the historic seaside town of Badagry into one big slave museum that would bring the former sons and daughters of slaves from the diaspora on a pilgrimage, to connect with their roots and to have a true sense of history about what really happened in the days of slavery.

But every good newsman would know or should know that in an encounter with Marlon Jackson, one of the five brothers who stormed and electrified the pop music world with their kindergarten or bubble-gum soul music starting from the early ‘70s, the big story is really Michael Jackson. All the other questions I threw at him were just in preparation for the Michael Jackson question. How does Marlon feel about his brother’s present state, with all the troubles dogging Michael? The child molestation charge. The multiple plastic surgeries on his nose and face.

The eccentric lifestyle. The controversies that never end. The Latoya Jackson nudity in Playboy magazine. The Janet Jackson ‘wardrobe malfunction’ occasioned by her breast popping out during a show televised live around the world.

In another time and place, a Jackson eating in a restaurant would have caused a stampede. People would have rushed in to shake his hand and get an autograph. But the era has long faded into oblivion, such that not many people knew who was being interviewed and they did not care. For forty minutes, I spoke with Marlon, the man reputed as the quiet one in the Jackson family. He was in the company of Tee-Mac, the celebrated Nigerian flutist, who arranged the meeting. Excerpts:

Marlon, what’s your impression of Nigeria?
I think Nigeria is a beautiful place. I think it’s a great place. It holds a lot of history. Black history.

So, why are you here?
I’m here to see you. (laughs) Actually, I am here because of the development project we are working on with the government of Nigeria, the Lagos State government and from the local level and the federal level.

How far has the project gone?
We are pretty much at the rudimentary stage of the project—discussing various things that we want to have take place. But I want to say something that is important to me. And the reason I think this project is important is we as black people must realize that the real story of our history has not been told fully. Our young kids today really don’t know the real truth, the essence of black history. And if we continue to move in this direction, each generation that comes along will be depleting our history. And before you know, it would be gone and lost. It is important to preserve our history and let people know what really took place in what we call the Slave Coast, which is the coast of Africa.

So, what is the vision for the project?
Well, as I stated before, when we first visited Badagry, we walked the slave route and the first thing that came to me and my colleagues is that this is sacred grounds. And to see people walking across it, it needs to be preserved. So, that is one of the first things. To preserve that area where people can’t just come and walk on it whenever they feel. No. This is our history. And that’s why I am so attached to it. This is my history. This is my people’s history. And we gotta preserve it and make sure that it is taken care of, and then tell them the true story—what took place.

How nostalgic are you about your childhood as a member of the Jackson 5?
You ask me a question that is...I don’t look at myself as that, because when we were young and doing what we did, it was just we were doing what we love. And I understand that our music is international, all over the world, but it’s a blessing that the Lord has given us to bring happiness to others. And that’s the way I see it.

Why haven’t you written your own Jackson memoirs?
Because I have not finished writing my story. Okay? And when I tell my story it’s gonna be the complete story and Nigeria, Badagry, would be part of that story.

What was it like growing up in the Jackson family?
It’s like growing up in any other family. To me, because that’s all I know. So we did things that other kids did. Other than that, we worked day and night, we rehearsed, went to school, come home from school, go the studio, record, come home, do your homework, go to sleep and do it all over again. But that wasn’t abnormal to us because that was what we knew, that was what we did.

Where are your other brothers?
They are on the west coast, in California. And they are doing great. They are doing fine. And to me, they are just my brothers.

Who really actually discovered the Jackson 5?
Who really discovered the Jackson 5? That can be a long story. Because, actually, we were in Gary, Indiana. We used to play at a place called the Rigo Theatre and big stars used to come, like Gladys Knight, the Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. And the first time, Gladys Knight asked us to come to Motown which to my understanding was declined by my father. The next time we were playing in the Rigo Theatre, a group by the name Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers were performing and Bobby Taylor asked us the same question if we wanted to come to Motown. And for some reason, we did. And we stayed in his house for a little while, and rehearsed at Motown, did our audition at Berry Gordy’s house, he did like the group and then they signed the group. And we’ve been performing since 1964, 65, I mean I was young.

What kind of father was Joe Jackson?
He was tough. He has six boys, so I guess you had to be tough. Oh, yeah. He was tough. But now that I am a father, grandfather actually, I look back and I can understand why he had some stringent rules on the brothers. So I understand it, because we could have gone in the wrong direction.

What lessons did you learn from your father?
Lessons I learnt from my father? Don’t let people walk over you. Kick them in the butt when they try to do the wrong things to you. And also, keep a level head. Just keep a level head.

What of your mother?
My mother was a great person. She was like any other mother. As you know, we had chores, she disciplined us too and as you know, mums and dads want the best for their kids.

How did you handle fame as a kid?
Because I understand this. And I want everybody to understand this. We were blessed by the Lord. I don’t think the Lord would have blessed us if He didn’t realize that we weren’t going to appreciate what He has given us. Just because I have some sort of fame doesn’t mean I am no better than anybody else. Because when the time comes and the Lord decides that my work is done on planet earth, we all go to the same place. So, it’s not what you have obtained, the material things that you have. It’s what you have done for others while you were here visiting planet earth.

Was it always obvious that Michael Jackson was the star of the family from childhood?
See, I don’t look at my brother as a star. He is my brother. Everybody else perceives him as a star. When this group first started Motown made sure that each one of the brothers had their own identity and everybody knew. So people bought into the group, the Jackson 5. They didn’t buy into Michael, Jackie, Jermaine individually. They bought into the group as a whole. There were people who loved Michael, there were people who loved Jackie, people who love Jermaine, myself Marlon and Tito. But collectively, we did something that no other group has done today. We were the first group to have four consecutive No.1 record around the world. It’s something that we take pride in, but also, it doesn’t make us better than anybody else.

Tell me about your first album. Is it ABC?
No, ‘I Want You Back’ (was our first single). ‘Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5’ was our first album. We recorded that album in Los Angeles. We stayed at Diana Ross’s house and we recorded in Motown studios.

After that what happened?
Actually, our first record became No.1, our second record was No.1, the third record was No.1, the fourth record was No.1. And, which brought international fame to the group.

When did you do ABC?
That was I think in 1970.

How did ABC shake the world?
Well, ABC was a second single. It was our second No.1 record. Our biggest selling record was ‘I’ll Be There,’ which was our fourth single.
Tell us about the ‘Skywriter’ album. (I sing the song ‘Skywriter’ for Marlon)
Oh, you like ‘Skywriter’? That’s a song that The Corporation did. Dick Richards, France Mazelle, Freddy Perrene and Berry Gordy. They did that album, The Skywriter. I kinda like that song myself. We’ve done so many records for Motown, some of them that you haven’t heard. They are still sitting on the shelf. And some of course, you have heard.

Did you write your own songs when you were young?
No, we have always had an interest in writing, but we never got the chance to produce or write our own material until we left Motown and did a deal with Sony which at that time was Epic Records. And that’s when we began to write and produce our own stuff. Along with Gamble and Huff.

All your brothers did solo albums. How come you didn’t?
You haven’t done your job diligently. Yes, I did do a solo album called Baby Tonight. I did a solo album. The only brother who hasn’t done a solo album actually is my brother Tito. He hasn’t done a solo album. But he is thinking about doing one.

Where is Tito now?
Tito is in California. He lives in California as well.

What is he doing?
He is...Actually, we are getting ready to start a show, a special that we are shooting right now. As a matter of fact, when I get back, I gotta go shoot a television special that we are doing right now. And so, I would be talking about Nigeria in that special.

What is your dad Joe Jackson doing now?
My father is getting older, he is taking some time relaxing and enjoying his time and looking at things. He lives in Las Vegas.

How about your elder brother Jackie?
Jackie is also part of the television special. We all working together on this television special that I am sure would be shown here as well.

What is Jermaine doing?
Jermaine is part of the special. He travels a lot to the Middle East working on some various projects.

What about Randy? He is a macho guy now, isn’t it?
Oh, hey, hey, hey, yes. He is a macho guy now. He is the baby of the brothers. He is the youngest brother. And he is doing fine. He is doing great.

How did Michael Jackson going solo affect the group?
He just decided to...Epic Records asked him to do a solo album and he did. And it was very successful. They wanted him to do another one, which became the biggest selling album of all times. And that’s how it all came about and started.

Did his going solo ruin the Jacksons as a group?
No, I don’t think so. Because, first and foremost we are a family. Second and foremost, there is the group. Without the success of the Jackson 5, there would be no Michael Jackson. Without the success of the Jackson 5, there would be no Marlon Jackson. Without the success of the Jackson 5, there would be no Jermaine, Jackie, Tito. You know, in every group, there is someone who stands out more than the others. But as I stated to you in the beginning, Berry Gordy made sure that each one of the brothers had his own recognition.

How do you see the metamorphosis of Michael Jackson?
As I told you before, I see Michael as my brother. And that’s about it.

How did you see his nose job?
Well, let me tell you something, how I feel about that. As you, as anybody in this world, God has created everybody. This is your kingdom. Your body is your kingdom. You have the right to do whatever you please with your body. I can’t tell you what to do with your body. And no one can tell me what to do. This is mine. We cannot judge anybody. God didn’t put us on this earth to judge others. Okay? The only time we can be judged is when we go to heaven and when we are going to be judged on what we had done for others. Not what we have done here on earth to obtain material things or whatever it may be. But I can’t determine what is best for him. Only he can determine what is best for himself.

Did you ever advise him on not doing a nose job?
As I stated before, he doesn’t need my advice on that. He can determine whatever is best for him, what makes him feel so good. I can’t sit here and tell you that you need to do this, you need to do that. You gotta do whatever you feel good inside about yourself.

When Michael started growing to be a megastar, were you proud of him or did you get jealous?
I must repeat this one more time. I see Michael as my brother. Okay? I remember Michael used to tickle me on the beard. So, yes, he is a megastar, but to me, he is still my brother. To you, he is a megastar, to me, he is my brother.

But there was a way he was alienated from the family. He was in his ranch and very far away from the family.
As I stated before, you have a different perspective of him, I have a different perspective, because I am on the inside. He is my brother, we grew up together. So, you can’t see what I feel and what I see. Because, we’ve been brothers all our lives. And we would continue to be brothers.

How do you see his marriage and divorce?
That goes to show you that everybody on this earth is human. I don’t give a damn how big you are. You are still human. You have the same things that normal people have. You go through ups and downs and like you have divorces, you have everything. Now, I want to talk about what we are doing in Nigeria some more.

I am sure, I am not the only person who interviews you and wants to know more about Michael Jackson. I hope I am not offending you with my emphasis on Michael Jackson.
You are not the only person. Everybody wants to know about my family and individual members of my family. Not just Michael. Other members of my family. My sister Janet, Jermaine, Jackie, Tito. As I told you before, everybody has his favourite Jackson that wanna know things about. But, if they want to know about those people, I only can give you that much. You gotta talk to him if you want answers. But I can’t give you answers. I can only tell about Marlon.

How did you feel when your sister Latoya went nude on Playboy magazine?
I must tell you this again. I can’t tell nobody what they do with their lives. If that’s what she wants to do, that is what she wants to do. Okay?

How did you feel when Janet was performing and her button fell off to show her breast and it was beamed live around the whole world—what they call wardrobe malfunction?
Yeah, I remember that. Yeah, wardrobe malfunction. I have a question for you: How did you feel when you saw it? Did your eyes go up or did they go down. Hey, that’s my sister. And you know, I felt bad for her because it was a mistake. But, hey, that happens. Things happen sometimes.

How did you feel when your brother went through the trauma of child molestation and all that?
Well, as I said, one of the things that take place about entertainers across the globe. A lot of people build you up to tear you down. Okay? I am still looking at some of the great things he has done to try to help others. You know, they try to bring people down. But, you know, to be exonerated from this...because that just wasn’t him. Those types of things do happen. But I must say one thing: the Lord was in control and he was exonerated.

Marlon, you seem to be the quietest of the Jackson 5. Am I right?
Am I the quiet one? That’s your perception of me. If you ask my family members, they might tell you I am totally different.

What are you currently doing? Are you still into music?
I would always be in music. That’s a part of me. But, as I stated before, the Motherland Group which is a company that I founded with my partners, we are doing a major development in Badagry, because of the Atlantic Slave Trade, bringing awareness to the world, especially black people, of what really took place with black history in regards to how the slaves were captured and how they were taken to America to become slaves. It is important to me. We want to preserve our heritage. There is a lot of history there and we need to make sure that that history is preserved. So, kids and generations and generations to come can understand what took place.

Is Michael Jackson coming to Nigeria?
You have to ask him. I am sure one day he will.

This is your second time in Nigeria?
Yes. And next month will be my third time.

How do you see the Obama phenomenon?
Let me tell you something. This is the first time I have ever known this sort of thing where one person inspires and symbolizes the unification of the world. If you look across the globe, you see people unified, not just in America but in other countries as well. There is unification. People are more perceptive to the needs of peace. And that’s one thing I have always believed in: and it’s that there is no reason these rulers, these heads of state, kings, queens of various countries are fighting. Because as I stated before, this land is not our land. This land is God’s land. And as I constantly say: We must come together for peace—study peace. Because when you go up there and visit the Lord, He is not going to ask you how many cars you have. He would ask you: What did you do for others? What did you do for the less fortunate? And that’s what is important.

You seem to be very religious.
I grew up as Jehovah’s Witness. I am not a Jehovah’s Witness (now). I’m a Christian. I go to Catholic Church. I’ve been going to church every week for 33 years or more. I am a Christian. I believe in God. I believe in the Lord. And I thank the Lord every day. Because, hey, tomorrow is not promised, the next second is not promised. So I thank the Lord for every second I have.

Do you miss fame and the bright lights?
As I told you before, we the brothers look at that as just a job that we did. I look at famous people I talk to. When I talk to them, what we call famous people, to me they are just people. Because if I cut you, you gonna bleed the same way I am gonna bleed if you cut me.

What music are you listening to now?
I listen to all kinds of music. I mean, I listen to classical music, country music, some hip-pop, rhythm and blues, there are some Nigerian rap stuff that I heard when I was here last time that I liked. I listen to all kinds of music. Country music, everything.

Who is your favourite musician right now?
I really don’t have a favourite musician. I really don’t. I just like listening to all genres of music.

Who are your musical heroes?
Sly and the Family Stone is one of my musical heroes. Jackie Wilson, The Supremes, Diana Ross, who played a very important role in our career. Those are some of my musical heroes.

Where is black music going now?
Well, I wanna tell my brothers and my sisters, please do away with the word @#$%$ES, calling our sisters @#$%$ES. Because, they are...You know, respect them.

I didn’t get that.
Stop calling them @#$%$ES in records. Stop calling our sister @#$%$ES. Respect them. They deserve respect. Stretch your music ability to the fullest. I don’t think you are stretching it to the fullest. And write songs with structures. Write more songs with structures and melody.

How old are you now?
I am about your age. I maybe older than you. How old are you?

I am 56.
I am younger than you. I’ll be 52 in March.

Tell me about your family
I have been married for 33 years. I have three kids and two grand kids.

You’ve had a stable family. Never been divorced?
No, I have never been divorced.

What’s the secret of your marital success?
I was 18 when I got married. I married so early because I saw what I liked.

And who is that lucky queen?
Her name is Carol. And I give the success of my marriage all to her. This is the picture of my wife. And this is the picture of me and my wife. I have two girls and a boy. They are adults now. My oldest daughter is 32, the next one is 30, would be 31 in April. My son is 27. I have adults.

Are they into music?
My son is into music, my daughters, they’ve got degrees, one has broadcast journalism degree and the other business degree. They have bachelor’s degrees.

Is it possible that the Jackson would come on stage to perform again?
There is always a possibility.

What are we hearing about Michael Jackson being bankrupt and sick and all that, leading to his memorabilia being put up for sale?
As I have stated before, you can’t believe everything that you read in the press.

Is he releasing another album?
Yes. Let me put it this way. He is working on an album. Whether he releases, that’s up to him.

How do you see Thriller?
As I told you before, it’s the biggest-selling album of all time, which puts him way up top. It is a great album.

Would you have wished you were the one that released Thriller?
I don’t care. I really don’t care. As I told you before, I see Michael as my brother. Not as entertainer or anything whatever.

How do you see Stevie Wonder?
I like Stevie. I really do. Stevie Wonder did some songs on us that never was released. He did three songs on us back in the ’70s that was never released.

And you also sang the chorus ‘do-do-wop’ on his album, ‘Fulfillingness First Finale’.
Yes on the track ‘You Haven’t Done Nothing.’ We did that at the studio.

So what was it like being in the studio with Stevie Wonder?
That was when we recorded all those songs with him. We did a song with him and he recorded two other songs for us. It was great.

You think he is a genius?
Yeah, I do. I really do. I think he is incredible on the keyboard.

How do you see Bob Dylan?
I see Bob Dylan as a good songwriter and a great poet. Song writing is poetry.

Are you into Jimi Hendricks?
I met Jimi Hendricks in 1971. We were coming out of school and we got to a rehearsal hall and rehearsing. We couldn’t get in because somebody was running overtime. And behold, it was Jimi Hendricks. He came out and we sat down and we talked a little while. We didn’t take any picture. I wish I had. But we had a great time. I was young then, somewhere around 13.

What’s Jimi Hendricks’ place in the history of music?
He is one of the best that ever played rock music. He influenced a lot of rock artistes.

Are you into rock music yourself?
I like all kinds of music. I like Led Zeppelin. I like all kinds of music.

You like Nirvana?
Well, some of their stuff. I like Toots and the Maytals, I like Peter Tosh.

Do you think the black music of today is better than the black music of your generation?
Come now. I am asking you that question. Do you think the black music of today is better than the black music of your generation?

No, no, no.
You’ve answered the question properly.

How do you see the Temptations?
I think the Temptations were a big influence on my brothers and me. Great music. Great songs. Back in those days, music was music. Today, it’s a lot of grooves. I call it the groove. It’s not a song. A song has changes taking places. Today, it just stays flat and straight.

Remember the O’Jays of Philadelphia?
As a matter of fact, the O’Jays, The Emotions, Earth Wind and Fire, we were all amateurs. We all used to go out and play together. We weren’t known yet.

How do you see the death of Isaac Hayes?
I think it was a tragedy. All of a sudden. We just lost another great person.

What of Curtis Mayfield?
It was sad that the speaker fell on him when he was performing on stage and then being paralysed. But Curtis Mayfield wrote a lot of great songs, being with the Impressions. In fact, Curtis Mayfield was another one that was trying to get us to come to Curtom Records because he lived in Chicago. The Jackson 5 before we were known. For five years, we used to play all over Gary, Indiana, Chicago, Kansas City, before we went to Motown.

What’s Diana Ross doing now? She is a grandmother now.
She is a grandmother but she still looks great. The last time I talked to her she told me there was a guy in Nigeria that wore glasses, had a nice tie with polka dots in, with black suit that she might be interested in.

Marlon, where do you think you come from, in Africa?
I (don’t) have the slightest idea. But I would know because I would do the DNA test and find out exactly where I come from.

But where does your hunch tell you, you come from?
Emm, Badagry. (laughs) I visited the slave route in Badagry and I just got the feeling. It would be great if I did come from Badagry. But if not, I am happy with wherever I come from in Africa.

When you saw the relics of slavery, how emotional did you get?
What it does to you is that it makes you think and then it takes you back to realize what our foremothers and our forefathers had gone through for us to be where we are today. And some of the pains that they endured. I have had on the slave chains and I had only had them on for 10 minutes. I had on the neck brace, the hand brace and the ankle brace. And my spine started hurting me after 10 minutes of wearing them. So to think that they would have to have this on them for months and months at a time, I really feel for them and I respect the courage. It takes a lot of courage to go through what they went through.

Did you speak with the king of Badagry?
Of course. He said: “Marlon, thank you for Badagry. Welcome to Badagry. Thank you. We appreciate what you guys are doing for the project.” And I said: “Your Royal Highness, I wanna thank you for given us the opportunity to come and live with you and stay with you to present what we think is needed for Badagry. And also, thank you for taking the time to give us your inputs and your vision as well and the indigenous people of Badagry’s vision.” See, we are gonna create 153,000 jobs in that area. That’s putting a lot of people to work, which would generate lots of revenue for the Lagos State government. Because once this whole project is finished, with all the hotels and everything, then the government can start earning money through various things like the taxes it would generate. Nigeria should start to understand that they cannot live forever off its petroleum revenue. So they must diversify things. God bless Africa. Africa has all the minerals, has everything, and so now they gotta start exercising those things and using those things to drive revenue and develop things to change Nigeria.

When people meet you as I have met you, what do they ask you generally concerning the Jacksons?
They ask me, they say: “How are you doing? And thank you for the great years. We love you guys. That’s what they tell me. Majority of them, that’s what they tell me. And you have played a great role in my life. That’s what they tell me. Which I never realized. I came to realize that a whole generation was raised on the Jacksons. And it’s mindboggling to realize that you have influenced a whole generation of people. Not just domestically, but internationally.

You don’t wear afros again, why? (I laugh)
You are the one laughing. You don’t wear afros anymore either. Why? My hair is growing off my head.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news...-03-2009-01.htm

LaToya visits Katherine at Hayvenhurst and speaks about Michael, In a new documentary aired last week on German TV

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUhaMUFoNz8]YouTube - Ein Tag mit La Toya Jackson_4/4[/ame]

My interview with Taj Jackson, talking about Uncle Doodoo!

That was yesterday in Paris. He told me that the demo version of the song Brotherhood featuring The Jacksons (including Michael) never got released because of Sony.

He also said that he plans to attends one the first concerts in London.

He looks like so much like his father.
We spent 2 hours with him and he even took us to the movies!
Such a nice guy and so is her girlfriend.

Their second album "Deja Vu" recorded in 1998 and never released because of Sony

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PxfN4OJURQ]YouTube - Interview de Taj Jackson par PMJ[/ame]

Source: Prince Michael Jr, KOP Board