How we made the Jackson 5's I Want You Back

‘Michael and I were such pranksters. We’d put itching powder on men’s bald spots – or a bucket of water over a door to give someone a soaking’

We were five of nine siblings who grew up in a house the size of a double garage in Gary, Indiana. We weren’t allowed to touch our father’s guitar when he went to work. Of course I did – my mum would let us play – and he found out, because I’d broken a string. He scolded me, put a new string on and said: “Show me what you know.” He was surprised that I could play, so gave me the guitar and I just started learning every Motown song, with Jackie, Jermaine and myself singing. When we heard Michael sing our tongues fell out of our mouths. We invited our other little brother, Marlon, to join as well, and that was the start of the Jackson 5.

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from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2y5sUYt