Jermaine says ‘Jackson Five’ brothers are recording, may tour

Ken Ritter

Monday, Jan. 8, 2001 | 4:09 a.m.

The Jackson Five singing group is recording for the first time in 16 years and might go on tour, a family member told a broadcaster during a trade show here.

Jermaine Jackson told a disc jockey from a new subscription radio station that Michael Jackson is among the brothers recording new material for a compact disc to be released in July.

The brothers are making plans to tour, according to Jermaine Jackson, after their CD is released, disc jockey Holly Levis said Monday. Other industry sources confirmed recording plans but said a tour was not scheduled.

Levis said that besides Michael, Jermaine Jackson didn't identify the other brothers - Marlon, Randy, Tito or Jackie - by name.

Publicists for Michael Jackson did not immediately return telephone calls seeking comment.

Jermaine Jackson's on-air comments came during a Sunday afternoon shakedown broadcast for Sirius from the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Levis said Jermaine Jackson didn't tell her where the recording sessions are being held. But he did say Jackson sisters LaToya and Janet weren't involved.

Levis, who said she has known Jermaine Jackson since she was a disc jockey at WBLS in New York City, said she was sure the Jackson 5 project is separate from a DVD that Joe Jackson, patriarch of the Jackson clan, was autographing and distributing at the CES show.

A spokesman for Joe Jackson said he was at the consumer show promoting his own new Internet venture, jacksonmusicstudios.com.

Tom Lorentzen, spokesman for Joe Jackson, said he had no information about the Jackson 5 recording project.

An album and tour would be the first since the Jacksons' 1984 "Victory Tour."