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In Defence Of The Jackson Family

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In Defence Of The Jackson Family Empty In Defence Of The Jackson Family

Post by WeAreTheWorld. Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:49 pm

In Defence Of The Jackson Family
March 11, 2013
By: Andrew McArthur

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As a huge fan of all members of the Jackson musical dynasty, it pains when people belittle the careers of the late Michael Jackson’s siblings. Of course, most people are aware that the King of Pop’s brothers and sisters were all in the music industry, but unfortunately their work simply never received the promotion and success it deserved, with perhaps the one exception being Janet Jackson.

Some suggest that it was overshadowed by their brother’s success, with Clive Davis’s recent autobiography suggesting Michael attempted to sabotage Jermaine’s musical career.

With the male Jacksons in the middle of their first tour in almost three decades, I think it is time to re-evaluate the music careers of Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet Jackson and make a small effort to help get them the respect they deserve.

First up is Rebbie…


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8. Rebbie Jackson


Rebbie is the eldest of the Jackson siblings and perhaps the least well-known Jackson female, despite having some solid 1980s R&B hits under her belt. The name may not be familiar to many casual readers as Rebbie seems to shun the widespread spotlight in favour of performing more intimate gigs and working on her own music. After three reasonably successful albums in the 1980s, Rebbie took a ten year hiatus from recording, until eventually releasing her most recent album, Yours Faithfully, in 1998.

If willing to dig in to her back catalogue, there are plenty of hidden gems to be found, including the bizarrely brilliant, ‘Centipede’. Released in 1984, Centipede was penned and produced by younger brother, Michael, and uses a centipede as a weird sexual analogy.

After hours of painstaking research (or six minutes spent on Youtube), I discovered that the music video further enhances this camp weirdness, featuring Rebbie in a sparkling red ballgown, shooting lightning from her fingers as she dances around a tiger. Who dare says Rebbie is not original? This strangeness paid off, with the track reaching #4 in US R&B Charts, proving to be the singer’s biggest hit.

Rebbie followed this with a couple of other Top 20 R&B hits including the funky ‘Reaction’ and ‘Plaything’, yet never truly receiving mainstream success. Fortunately this does not seem to be a deterrent to the eldest Jackson, with Rebbie continuing to tour and working hard on a new studio album (her first in fourteen years).


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7. Jackie Jackson


The oldest Jackson male, Jackie, is again one of the lesser known siblings in the Jackson dynasty. Like Rebbie, Jackie keeps a lower profile than many of his siblings and strikes a more reserved demeanor.

Jackie made his mark alongside Michael, Marlon, Tito and Jermaine in The Jackson 5 from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s and like his brothers began to pursue a short-lived solo career after the group first disbanded. Jackie released a self-titled album in 1973 on Motown Records, which unfortunately received very little promotion and failed to chart. Although it is a pleasant enough listen with Jackie’s falsetto shining, the album lacked any real standout tracks – consisting mainly of somewhat uninspired ballads.

Fortunately for Jackie, the reunion of The Jackson 5 (now simply called The Jacksons) in 1975, slowly saw the family return back their former chart success with standout funk/disco tracks like Blame It on the Boogie and Can You Feel It. Jackie would make one more attempt at solo chart success with his second album in 1989, titled Be the One.

The album featured a more contemporary dance/R&B sound and spawned minor singles ‘Cruzin” and the brilliantly underrated ‘Stay’ – yet things were still not in the performer’s favour, with his sophomore album peaking at #84 on the R&B Charts. For R&B enthusiasts, Be the One is a real gem – boasting a slick, well-produced sound, that has only improved with time.

Jackie’s latest recording was likeable dance track, We Know What’s Going On in 2011. He is now performing with his siblings on The Jacksons Unity Tour.


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6. Tito Jackson


Tito’s solo career may be the most challenging to try and defend, as the singer and guitarist only has only one release to his name.

Tito’s career in The Jackson Five and The Jacksons mainly saw him working on backing vocals, with the singer rarely getting an opportunity to fully showcase his pleasant voice. However, Tito has managed to keep a rather prominent public presence through regular television appearances including the likes of BBC’s Just the Two of Us and reality series, The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty.

As reported in 2011, the guitarist has finished a solo album, which appears to have been shelved in favour of the Jacksons Unity Tour. Fortunately, fans did get to hear the lead single from the unreleased album, ‘We Made It’ – an uplifting funky pop track.


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5. Jermaine Jackson


Jermaine is the most successful Jackson male (excluding his late brother) with a plethora of albums delving into pop, dance, R&B, funk and soul with varying degrees of success.

Jermaine’s first few releases on the Motown label produced countless weepy ballads like ‘Daddy’s Home’, featuring nostalgic 1950′s pop sounds – not something listeners would expect from a 1970′s soul album. However as Jermaine’s solo career progressed, he soon found this hits – most notably the 1979 funky Stevie Wonder penned track, ‘Let’s Get Serious’ – which is an undeniably amazing 8 minute long explosion of high-energy disco and energetic funk.

However, it was 1984 that saw Jermaine’s most commercial international success, ‘Dynamite’ (aka Jermaine Jackson) marked the singers’ first album with Artista Records, providing a refreshing new sound. Among the new tracks was synthpop duet with Pia Zadora, ‘When the Rain Begins to Fall’, which I would argue matches the quality of any of Michael’s solo releases.

The album also featured a collaboration with Michael, the #1 dance single, ‘Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming’, as well as a weirder collaboration with Tito and Randy Jackson, titled ‘Escape from the Planet of the Ant Men.’

Jermaine’s most controversial release came in 1991 on the album, ‘You Said.’ After years of rumored rifts and feuds within the family, Jermaine took his frustration out in single ‘Word to the Badd!!’ The original track served as a lyrical attack towards Michael featuring lyrics like “Reconstructed, Been abducted, Don’t know who you are…”. However lyrics were later changed to reflect a scorned lover as family rifts softened. The track itself is prime example of nineties R&B/dance and one of Jermaine’s strongest solo singles.

After an almost twenty year hiatus from recording, Jermaine re-appeared with a surprise, dance update of ‘Blame It On The Boogie,’ which is rather brilliant. Unfortunately, the singer’s last album release alienated many fans (myself included) by ignoring his soul/dance roots in favour of a classic standards album. Now who really wants a Jermaine Jackson cover of ‘My Funny Valentine?’ Anyone?


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4. La Toya Jackson


Now we have reached my personal favourite of the Jackson siblings, La Toya. Many have dubbed La Toya the ‘thinking man’s Jackson’, with the iconic singer and television personality even having an army of loyal devotees known as The Church of La Toya.

Many of La Toya’s questionable career choices were the result of her abusive relationship with twisted manager and eventual husband, Jack Gordon – forcing the fragile star into degrading Playboy shoots and obscure musical directions (captured through her bizarre country album, From Nashville To You).

La Toya’s close relationships with her family were shattered by this controlling relationship with Gordon, after being forced to pen a trash-talking tell-all about the rest of her siblings. The autobiography also discussed a terrifyingly brilliant incident involving La Toya’s encounter with insane record producer, Phil Spector, which needs to be read to be believed.

However personal life aside, La Toya’s albums are full of camp delights featuring dated production, cheeky lyrics and La Toya’s sweet, charismatic vocals. The singer’s initial music career was met with slight success with a moderately successful debut album and catchy singles like ‘If You Feel The Funk’. However, the real delights lie in La Toya’s later albums like the Full Force/Stock-Aitken Waterman produced, ‘You’re Gonna Get Rocked!’ Here Toy is at her edgiest with tracks like ‘Such a Wicked Love’ and the highly addictive title track.

Praise should also go to the marketing team behind La Toya’s following album, ‘Bad Girl’ (her answer to Michael’s ‘Bad’) where every track is a camp classic – like her ode to her younger brother, Michael in ‘He’s My Brother’ and Madonna-esque dance track, ‘Restless Heart’. At her managers instructions, La Toya’s sex appeal was amped up to the max for her next LP, ‘No Relations’ – featuring subtle tracks like ‘Sexbox’ and served as a tie in to her controversial autobiography.

After breaking free from the ties of the sadistic Gordon, La Toya made her most personal album ‘Startin’ Over’, which launched several dance singles including ‘Just Wanna Dance’ and ‘Free the World’. The album never received a full release, but many of the tracks were released in EP form to promote La Toya’s second autobiography, ‘Starting Over’ (which counteracted many of the claims made in her previous one with Gordon).

As well as her accomplished music career, La Toya has become something of a gay icon thanks to unforgettable appearances on the likes of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ ‘Armed and Famous’ and ‘The Celebrity Apprentice.’

La Toya has promised one final studio album before her withdrawal from the music industry to focus on her business ventures and upcoming OWN reality series, Life With La Toya.


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3. Marlon Jackson


Like his brothers, Marlon enjoyed much success in The Jackson Five/The Jacksons, before embarking on a solo album in 1987.

Marlon’s first and only album, titled ‘Baby Tonight’, is one of the strongest Jackson solo albums – boasting a fusion of funk and dance, complete with slick production and smooth vocals. Like most of his sibling’s releases, ‘Baby Tonight’ was not headed for widespread chart success, peaking at #175 in the Billboard Charts and a slightly better #22 in the R&B Charts. However, the singles fared better with the sensational jam, ‘Don’t Go’ hitting #2 on the R&B singles chart.

‘Baby Tonight’ is filled with under-appreciated tracks that fans of 1980′s dance/soul are likely to lap up. Other standouts include ‘Get Away Tonight’ and ‘When Will You Surrender.’

Marlon is currently on tour with The Jacksons on their Unity Tour, with the group said to be working on a new studio album for a 2013 release.


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2. Randy Jackson


Being the second youngest of the Jacksons, Randy never played a huge part in the first incarnation of his brothers’ band.

This did not stop Randy from attempting a solo career with trippy promo single, ‘How Can I Be Sure’ in 1978, which made no impact on the charts. This was not followed by any other significant releases until the first album from Randy’s short-lived band, Randy & the Gypsys in 1989. Randy’s low-profile meant that like his first single, the band’s album failed to chart – despite some moderately enjoyable tracks.

Standouts from the album include ‘Love You Honey’ and ‘Perpetrators’, however, despite being pleasant enough – pale in comparison to most of Jermaine, Jackie and Marlon’s solo releases.

Randy is not taking part in The Jacksons 2013 Unity Tour, seeking a quieter life out of the spotlight.


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1. Janet Jackson


Janet’s career is perhaps the easiest to defend, with the continuous high chart positions doing most of the talking.

Like her siblings, Janet was initially managed by her father – releasing two enjoyable, yet somewhat poorly performing albums (‘Janet Jackson’ and ‘Dream Street’) between 1982 and 1984. Despite, ‘Dream Street’s’ production from dance/synth God, Giorgio Moroder the album was the worst performing of her career.

After ditching her father as manager, Janet hooked up with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for her third LP, ‘Control’, which proved to be a worldwide smash, thanks to tracks like ‘What Have You Done For Me Lately’ and ‘When I Think Of You’.

Janet’s continued collaborations with Jam and Lewis proved a solid combination with albums like ‘Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814′, ‘Janet.’, ‘The Velvet Rope’ and ‘All For You’, proving to be worldwide hits. Now Janet has over 78 singles to her name – including ‘Rhythm Nation’, ‘Together Again’, ‘The Best Things In Life Are Free’, ‘All For You’ and ‘Again’.

Janet released a Number Ones compilation in 2009, including Dance Chart #1, ‘Make Me’. She is rumored to be working on a new album.


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WeAreTheWorld.
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Post by Admin Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:01 pm

I love this piece WATW!! We need this more now than ever with this very difficult time coming in April. "In defense of the Jacksons" is sad to have to say though isn't it?
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Post by ijustcan'tstoplovinguMJ Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:16 pm

this was AMAZING i would love to hear some of there i betcha the brothers have some beautiful voices well they are jacksons after all!!!!! hey @admin whats the difficult time coming in April?
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Post by ljmissmj Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:49 pm

Great piece! The Jackson family is our version of the "royal family" !

Lately, I've been jamming Jane'ts music and recently purchased the Velvet Rope Tour on DVD....FANTASTIC!

When Centipede comes on at the clubs the whole place goes bonkers!

That's the power of the Jacksons!
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Post by A LunarGirl Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:15 pm

Whoaaaa....great job!
I loved it,just needed it,thank you so so so much.
I had to search individually its greats to have all of these wonderful singer's brief careers in one place!
Thanks again! Smile In Defence Of The Jackson Family 1136769344
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