Michael Jackson

by J. Randy Taraborrelli

  ‘Fine, then, let 'em go into Las Vegas if they want,’ Berry reasoned to one of his aides. He was still stung by Joseph's reaction to him; few people ever hung up on him. ‘I'm afraid that they'll fail there,’ he added, ‘but maybe it'll teach Joseph a lesson. Too bad the boys have to suffer on his account, especially Jermaine.’

  Joseph was anxious to teach Berry a lesson of his own. At his urging, the entire family rallied together to prove Berry mistaken. ‘We knew that Motown didn't believe in what we were doing,’ Jermaine recalled. ‘My father was out to prove them wrong, and the brothers were behind him one hundred per cent. I was torn. I had a suspicion that Berry was right.’

  To make his family's show unique for Las Vegas, Joseph followed an example set by The Osmonds. That group had brought in younger brother, Jimmy, and sister, Marie, for their Caesars' engagement, and to great acclaim. Not to be outdone, Joseph recruited LaToya, seventeen, as well as Randy, twelve, and Janet, seven. (Rebbie was also expected to perform. However, when she sprained her ankle, her debut with the act was postponed a few months, until June.)

  None of the new additions to The Jackson 5 show was overwhelmingly talented, but their marginal ability did help gloss up the overall show. It was Katherine's idea to have Randy and Janet do impressions of Sonny and Cher, rhythm-and-blues stars Mickey and Sylvia, and even Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Janet also did a cute Mae West in a backless, pink satin gown and feather boa, which Variety would call ‘hilarious’.

  LaToya joined the tap dancing routine to ‘Forty-second Street’. There was a bit of a problem with LaToya, though. She wanted to sing a solo in the act, but had limited vocal talent. ‘She wanted the spotlight’ remembered a friend of hers. ‘She would rant and rave, cry and throw fits. Joseph told her that all she would be allowed to do was mouth the words of songs on stage in group numbers, acting as if she were singing but not really singing at all. She didn't like that, but she had no choice.’

  On stage, the MGM Grand orchestra loomed large behind the Jackson family on opening night, 7 April 1974. It was the kind of oversized orchestra that could never fit on most stages. A small group of musicians – Motown's rhythm section – was added to the mix to help re-create the sound of the familiar Jackson 5 hit records. Bright and colourful firework patterns burst across a pale blue backdrop as the Jacksons appeared on stage, much to the excitement of their audience.

  Although The Jackson 5 had, for the most part, built their reputation on rhythmic music, for their Las Vegas show they showcased a variety of song styles, as typified by a centre-piece medley which they introduced on opening night. The presentation was different, for them. Instead of dancing, the brothers sat on tall stools side by side, with mikes in front of them. Their outfits could best be described as ‘mariachi-band mod’. The waist-length jackets worn over ruffled, white, open-neck shirts were reminiscent of those that draped strolling Mexican musicians, but the resemblance ended there. These costumes had sequin-scrolled lapels and were in untraditional colours: olive, green, pumpkin, pink, purple and gold. The bell-bottom trousers were light olive green, pale orange, maroon, lavender and brown. White patent shoes had clunky two-inch heels.

  The medley began with Tito strumming on guitar, he played his solo instead of singing it, followed by Michael with a fluid rendition of Roberta Flack's ‘Killing Me Softly’. On the last line, Michael turned to Jermaine, who sang a gentle version of Glen Campbell's ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’. Midway through that number, Michael and Jermaine harmonized the chorus. It seemed so effortless, their voices blending together to create a sound so natural, so right. They turned to Jackie. The music then segued into the classic, ‘Danny Boy’, an excellent choice for Jackie's falsetto voice. As Marlon joined in, the two sang as one. Though there was none of the vocal interplay shared by Michael and Jermaine a moment earlier; still, the two voices – sounding like one – created a full-bodied, clear-as-a-bell tone. The set ended with the three-song selections being interwoven – a line here, a line there, each one joining the other. It was obvious the brothers had devoted themselves to perfecting such an intricate, beautiful arrangement, one that did not just feature Michael. The audience could feel the closeness between them as brothers, much more than just fellow performers. The standing ovation was loud and long.

  When Michael had his turn in the spotlight, though, it was clear that he was the star. Spinning like a human top in his sparkling suit and flanked by his siblings, Michael churned effortlessly through each number – ‘I Want You Back’, ‘ABC,’ ‘The Love you Save’ and all the rest – changing pace again and again but always maintaining the mesmerizing grip on his audience so essential for a performer. ‘When we started out, I used to be little, cute, and charming,’ Michael said in the act. ‘Now I'm big, cute and charming.’ After each song, he would walk to the footlights and accept the plaudits of his fans.

  For their Las Vegas debut, the Jackson family had pulled out all the stops, coming together as a family for a stellar performance. As all of them joined hands and raised their arms triumphantly, the audience erupted into a standing ovation. Katherine was front and centre, leading the applause.

  In the wings, stage right, Joseph rocked back and forth on his heels, hands jammed in his tux pockets, a grin spread across his face. With the exception of the absent Rebbie, this night was the realization of his greatest dream: all of his children on stage, performing together. ‘They did it,’ he said to no one in particular. ‘They did it.’

  When Berry learned that The Jacksons had enjoyed a successful opening night in Las Vegas, he sent a contingent of Motown executives to the city in order to present an image of corporate solidarity behind the family. ‘We were always certain that the boys had what it took,’ he then noted in a prepared statement sent to the press. ‘This is just the tip of the iceberg where The Jacksons' talent is concerned…’

  Backstage, after the fourth night's performance, Joseph read the press release article to his family. The family felt betrayed, except for Jermaine who had no comment to make about it. The triumph in Las Vegas was Joseph's to claim, not Berry's. After he finished reading the article, Joseph crumpled the newspaper in his hands and flung it into a trash can.

  In August 1974, the Jackson family was again booked into the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but behind the scenes things were no less tense. Album releases were becoming less frequent. Whereas they used to have at least three a year, in 1974 there was only one, the Dancing Machine album. Two singles that were released at the end of the year, ‘Whatever You Got I Want’ and ‘I Am Love’, were not successful. Motown then cancelled the release of a Michael Jackson single called ‘Doggin' Around’. A string of unsuccessful records usually put a disgruntled artist in his place when he was going up against a major label like Motown, and the Jackson family was having quite a losing streak on the charts.

  As if all of the business problems were not enough of a distraction for the young performers, their mother discovered that Joseph had been having an affair with a Jackson 5 fan from Kansas. She was a twenty-six-year-old black woman who had, at first, been attracted to Jackie. When he expressed no interest, she turned to his father.

  It was rumoured that the woman was pregnant. The issue was not discussed openly; the boys whispered about it among themselves. The question was obvious: was Joseph the father of her child? The thought that Joseph was having a child with another woman was so upsetting to Michael, he could barely perform. It was, as far as he was concerned, the ultimate betrayal of his mother.

  After one of the shows in Las Vegas, Joseph called a group meeting to discuss glitches he saw in the boys' performances. As far as he was concerned, the show had to go on, despite any personal problems the family might be experiencing. However, Michael decided to boycott the meeting.

  Later, Joseph caught up with Michael as he was wandering through the casino of the MGM Grand. He tapped Michael on the shoulder. Michael glanced back, saw who it was, and continued walking. Joseph roared, ‘What th
e hell?’ He shouldered aside patrons in an effort to reach his son.

  ‘I remember it like it was yesterday,’ recalled Steven Huck, a Jackson 5 fan who had gone to Las Vegas to see the show. ‘Michael was dodging his father all over the casino, hopping around like a jackrabbit, trying to outrun Joseph. “You listen to me,” Joseph demanded. Then he grabbed Michael by the arm. I had no idea what was happening, what the problem was, but I couldn't help but watch.’

  Huck recalled that Joseph spoke softly, rapidly into Michael's ear. Michael listened, his face a blank. Then, in mid-sentence, it seemed, he shook himself free of Joseph and pushed him away. “Don't you ever touch me again. Do you hear me?” Michael's voice could be heard above the din of the slot machines. People in the vicinity turned to stare and, upon recognizing him, began to whisper among themselves. No one came forward.

  ‘I never dreamed that Michael Jackson could raise his voice to his father, or to anyone else,’ Huck said. ‘I was shocked. He sounded hurt. When he shouted, it was an odd sound, like a wounded animal.’

  Joseph seemed shaken. Father and son glared at each other for a moment before Joseph raised his right hand as if he were about to strike. It wouldn't have been the first time, but the expression on Michael's face indicated that it would have been the last. Joseph's jaw sagged; he backed up two steps. Michael then ran off into the bustling casino.

  It would be years before he would learn the truth about his father's affair – and about his half-sister, Joseph's secret daughter.

  Jackie Marries

  In the winter of 1974, Michael Jackson's twenty-three-year-old brother, Jackie, made newspaper headlines when he suddenly married Enid Spann. Jackie had met her at a birthday party for Hazel Gordy five years earlier. Enid attended Beverly Hills High (as did Hazel) and was just fifteen when she and Jackie, three years her senior, became attracted to each other.

  She got the news about a pre-nuptial agreement early on. She and Jackie had barely started dating, but the Jackson attorney, Richard Arons, heard through the family grapevine that she was interested. He decided to take preventive measures and meet with her, telling her that if she married Jackie, she would have to sign a pre-nuptial agreement.

  ‘Let me tell you something,’ the teenager said to the lawyer. ‘When I marry Jackie Jackson – which I now think will never happen – if signing that marriage licence isn't good enough for him, then I don't need him and I don't want him.’

  Arons was surprised by her audacity.

  ‘And another thing,’ she added, ‘I wouldn't talk, if I were you, because you're the one who's living off of their gravy.’

  Enid recalled that she was then ‘totally turned off’ the Jackson family. ‘And when I told my mother what had happened, she was upset. It was a mean thing to do to a fifteen-year-old. After that, me and Jackie didn't hit it off. I thought he had something to do with my conversation with Richard. However, when I finally told him what Richard and I discussed, he got angry and told him, “How dare you say that to her!”’

  Jackie and twenty-year-old Enid were married in a small private ceremony in Jackie's room at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas during another of the family's engagements there. Joseph suspected that Enid had ulterior motives for marrying his son, especially since, unlike Tito's wife Dee Dee, she would not sign a pre-nuptial agreement. He also felt that Enid was too outspoken and independent, and would be a problem. That Joseph forbade Jackie to marry Enid Spann only served to motivate his eldest son towards the altar. For Jackie, the fact that he was uniting himself with a woman with whom he presumably would spend the rest of his life seemed less important than the fact that he was defying his father.

  As a manager, Joseph did his best. As a parent he was making a mistake with his children by holding on so tightly, and it was one he would pay dearly for in the future. In a way, it's the same mistake Berry Gordy had made with many of his Motown performers, but Joseph was a parent as well as a manager, and he was unable to distinguish between where one role began and the other ended. He treated his children the same way he did his business associates: he negotiated by pounding his fist on the table and yelling louder than anyone else in the room. His behaviour was frightening to his wife and daughters, and emasculating to his sons. ‘Michael said that they used to run down the hall and slam their bedroom doors closed when they heard that Joseph was coming home,’ Jane Fonda recalls.

  Michael's Private Meeting with Berry

  In January 1975, Motown released Michael Jackson's fourth solo album, Forever Michael. It was not a success, peaking at only 101 on the charts, eight notches lower than Michael's poorly selling Music and Me album. Neither album would even make the Top 50 in the UK, and the rest of Europe also showed dismal sales. ‘That's it!’ Joseph decided. ‘He's not recording any more solo albums for Gordy. That man's gonna ruin Michael!’

  Joseph had become increasingly agitated by Motown's lack of promotion and Berry's contention that the group had no potential to write or produce their own music. Joseph realized that his sons would never make big money unless they owned the publishing rights to their own songs. If an artist writes his own material, he makes not only an artist's royalty, but an additional royalty, since songwriters are paid a royalty on every record that is sold. At this time, the rate was an additional two cents per copy sold, split fifty-fifty with the song's publisher. Therefore, the B-side of a million-selling song, the side that rarely if ever gets radio airplay, could be worth up to twenty thousand dollars. At least, Joseph reasoned, the boys should be able to write their own B-sides. Was that too much to ask?

  Most of Berry's songwriters were signed to Jobete, his publishing company. Therefore, they had to split their two cents with Berry. Joseph wanted his boys to establish their own publishing company so that they could keep the money in the family. The more he pressed the idea forward, the more Berry resisted it.

  In the past, Berry had always been reluctant to share the money generated from publishing rights to Motown songs. At this same time, Smokey Robinson, Berry's closest friend, was negotiating with Berry to allow him to publish his own songs, as well. Jobete owned all of Smokey's songs, too, and Smokey, like Joseph Jackson, wanted a bigger piece of the pie. Eventually, Berry did allow Smokey to share that money, so he could be swayed. However, persistence was always the key when it came to getting Berry Gordy to do something about which he was reluctant. Smokey and Berry were friends, yet Smokey had to endure a fair amount of tough negotiation. What could Joseph – certainly no friend – expect from Berry? It seemed that he and his sons would have little chance of controlling publishing rights to their material as long he and Berry had such a contentious relationship. Ewart Abner was now practically running the record division of Motown, anyway… someone else Joseph disliked.

  Joseph's mind was made up: The Jackson 5 would have to leave Motown.

  Was it even possible? If not for Berry and Motown, where would The Jackson 5 be? Perhaps, still in Gary, Indiana, was the answer. Still, if the circumstances didn't soon change at Motown, it was clear that the group's commercial future would be in jeopardy.

  Though the group hadn't yet voted on the decision – and it's likely that Joseph's vote would sway his sons – Michael said later that he knew the brothers would agree with his father. Michael was as unhappy as the rest of the family about what was going on at Motown, yet he still felt a loyalty to Berry. After all, it was largely due to Berry's confidence in The Jackson 5 that the family now found itself in a position to be able to pick and choose among other record companies. This was a major decision for young Michael, and he didn't want his father, a man he didn't trust, or even like, making it for him.

  The other Jacksons thought of Michael as being bashful and reserved, which was certainly true in most cases. However, there was another dimension to Michael, a side he did not often show but which was there just the same: his resolve. Where his future at Motown was concerned, sixteen-year-old Michael Jackson was prepared to take matters into his own hands. He pi
cked up the phone in his bedroom and dialled. ‘Mr Gordy,’ he said, ‘you and I need to talk.’

  None of the Jackson brothers had ever had a private meeting with Berry Gordy. Until now, there had never been a reason for one. It's unlikely that Berry would have consented to meet with Jackie, Marlon, Randy or Tito. None of them possessed Michael's commercial voice or magical showmanship. And Berry felt he owed it to the teenager to hear him out. Though he liked Michael, he considered him shy and meek, hardly the person to be blunt and forthright. Therefore, he was probably intrigued by the notion of a private conference with him.

  Michael didn't care how his father felt about his decision to meet with Berry. In fact, he didn't discuss it with him. Still angry at Joseph for all he had done to Katherine, not to mention the abuse he had heaped upon his sons, Michael made up his own mind. Also, Michael would say later that his intuition told him the difficult situation with Motown could have been resolved sooner if only Joseph hadn't been so ill-tempered and possessive.

  Others at the label agreed. Smokey Robinson said, in retrospect, ‘Joe never got used to Berry being the one to tell his kids what to do. He believed that since he was their father, he was their boss, and that was the end of that. But Joe wasn't a businessman. He kept screwing things up and pissing people off. No one wanted to do business with him, and that was a poor reflection not only on the Jacksons but also on Berry and Motown. Without Joe's involvement, Berry would have worked things out with the Jacksons the way he did with me, Stevie Wonder, and anyone else who was unhappy at Motown, but ultimately stayed on.’