With JASON O'toole EXCLUSIVE

DMEEIR DMEEIR 32 IRISH DAILY MIRROR FRIDAY 30.07.2021 irishmirror.ie FRIDAY 30.07.2021 IRISH DAILY MIRROR 33 @jasonotoolereal BIG INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE with JASON O’TOOLE t’s now a dozen years since Tito BLUES “For every piece of negativity that Jackson lost his younger brother. GUITAR they try to put on my family there is But, even after all this time, he Tito Jackson probably a million positive things that is about to still can’t bring himself to look at release his can be said – and music that’s to be Michael Jackson’s This Is It. new album enjoyed. I“I’ve never seen that movie. I can’t “I look at families and it’s funny to watch that,” he told me, as we chatted me, because everybody wants to on Zoom. know what another family is doing – “It was the worst time. It was Tito is still full of they need to clean their own home. horrible, man. I still don’t like talking “When you look at your house and about it because it puts me in a place your house is dirty too – you have no that’s just miserable for me.” business even trying to get into Tito added that it’s even difficult to someone else’s affairs.” listen to Michael’s tunes. We talk some more about Tito’s “It doesn’t bother me to perform favourite memories of Michael. He live The Jackson 5’s songs because I provided me with enough anecdotes was part of that,” he continued. about the Jackson’s to easily fill up “But when I hear his music on the brotherly love another four pages! radio I think about him and I know Tito, it has to be said, was very he’s not here – it eats at my heart.” generous with his time. The 67-year-old was not exagger- As he prepares for the release of There were no airs and graces at ating: I could see the pain etched on play here. He simply came across as a his face and almost heard the lump in humble dude with a real – to use the his throat whenever we spoke about his latest album, former Jackson 5 Irish word – “gra” of music. Michael’s death. And he even looked the part of a But his down in the mouth star tells how listening to Michael’s cool cat with his bowler hat – or demeanour soon vanished when he derby as they’re called Stateside – and was asked to reminisce about the dark shades that he sported during good old days. songs eats away at his heart our hour-long chat. It cheered him up somewhat when Thanks to his hearty laugh, Tito I suggested that the three biggest even reminded me somewhat of the music icons of the 20th Century are Cheshire cat in Alice’s Adventures in The Beatles, Elvis and – last but not Wonderland – known for its mischie- least – Michael Jackson vous grin. “That’s right. Yep, and you’ve got to Tito said he felt nostalgic when say The Jackson 5 because Michael working on his new Blues album, Jackson was part of that. And Janet,” especially on the opening track The he pronounced. Wheels Keep Turning. “There hasn’t been another kid “I just keep doing this music. The group that did what The Jackson 5 wheels just don’t stop. It’s fun and it’s have done. a great journey,” he said. “Let It Be (by The Beatles) had been MUCH LOVED “Every album is like creating a new number one for weeks on the Bill- The death of pop ride, a new Space Mountain. It’s board and The Jackson 5 was the legend Michael almost like a kid seeing Disneyland group with ABC that took over that Jackson is still for the first time. mourned greatly position. So, that’s an historical by his brother Tito “Albums are like children to the moment. artist. They’re something you’ll be “The Jackson 5 also has the with for the rest of your life – singing record for audience/stadiums it, and identified with it.” from the Victory Tour (1984).” This, his second solo album, sees It was the only time all six Tito comfortably slot into the Blues brothers performed together, as ‘‘My brother is different from territory with great gusto. part of 55 dates across the USA and most people is what the world “I’ve been doing Blues across the Canada to a combined audience of doesn’t understand: he had a world for the last 15/20 years, so it’s two million. special kind of kindness. nothing new to me anymore,” he At its height, Jacksonmania was JACKSON 5 PLUS Clockwise from explained nearly as manic as what the Fab bottom left: Jackie, Tito, Marlon, “But I’ve always wanted to do a Four had to endure on their famous Jermaine, Michael, younger brother Blues recording because I think it’s first tour of the States. Randy and dad Joe pictured in 1970 where my heart lies.” “They would have security at Perhaps thanks to the Jackson every entrance, every elevator, every name, I suggested, Tito was able to exit because it was that crazy – there “In the winter we shovelled side- he worked late shifts,” Tito recalled. pertained to working in the yard or later, Delores (39) drowned in a swim- “I told them, ‘My brothers really He quickly changed and a little It’s hard to conduct an interview not saying my brother’s Jesus Christ. draw on a who’s who of artists to were that many fans and girls, tons of walks and in the summer we cut grass “My mother was the one that said around the house. ming pool in suspicious circum- played instruments and we really sing while later was about to get onto the with Tito without addressing the But as great as Jesus Christ was – guest on his superb new album – them, hundreds of them, trying to get and pulled weeds to make extra coins to my father, ‘You need to listen to “If he said, ‘I want this lawn cut and stances. – we don’t put on records’. freeway when his sister Janet phoned elephant in the room – the child performing miracles in front of including George Benson, Joe Bona- up to our rooms,” Tito recalled. for the family – until the music took them. I think they have some talent’. all these weeds pulled up’ – and if we “That was the first major tragedy I “So I got them lessons and I worked him. abuse allegations. people’s eyes and they still (killed massa, Eddie Levert, Kenny Neal, They had come a helluva long way of f.” “And he didn’t believe her! He used didn’t do that, we’d be in big trouble. had in my life. She was murdered by with them.” “Janet said, ‘Are you driving?’ Right “We had the United States govern- him), you know… so.” Bobby Rush, BB King’s daughter Clau- from being “ten children in a black Their father Joe had become a to tell her, ‘The boys can’t sing!’” “He was that kind of a person. her new boyfriend and that was sad,” Tito had pressed the pause button then I knew they had just killed him.” ment investigate Michael Jackson for He explained: “My brother is dette, his brother Marlon, and his working-class family who lived in a crane operator after giving up on his Joe suddenly changed his tune Which I think is very good because it he said. on his own solo career while bringing Michael’s physician Conrad Murray ten years – they couldn’t find one different from most people is what distant cousin Stevie Wonder. two-room house in Gary, Indiana”, pop stardom dream when his own when they “auditioned for him”. He teaches you, in a way, to obey the law.” She died just before her three sons up his boys. was later found guilty of involuntary thing. Not one. I mean, the FBI did the world doesn’t understand: he had “That’s not why, buddy! Do you according to their band’s Wikipedia group called the Falcons failed to set rushed out and bit by bit bought them Tito married his childhood sweet- had a massive hit single in 1995. “I wanted to make sure that I took manslaughter and was sentenced to this. I mean that should… come on! a special kind of kindness. know how I got all these people entry. the world alight. all the equipment they needed. heart Delores (Dee Dee) when he was They had formed their own R&B the time to raise my children prop- four years imprisonment. “They forced my brother to settle. “He’s done things that people don’t together? COVID-19. They couldn’t do “It wasn’t ten children – it was nine Joe was widely credited as being the “We rehearsed relentlessly every 18 in 1972. Did he do it in some ways group with the catchy title 3T, a nod erly,” he explained. I noticed Tito still sometimes Johnnie Cochran knew that very first do, like give half his money (away), to anything – they’re at home,” he said, of us: one of the kids passed away at Simon Cowell of his time when he day after school and the full week- to escape their father’s strong hand? to the fact that their names all began It was Tito’s second eldest son speaks about Michael in the present time that they made him look worse.

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