The amount of bands that had a similarly seismic impact as The Beatles can be counted on one hand, but The Jackson 5 indisputably qualify given the etched in stone immortality of “ABC,” “I Want You Back,” “The Love You Save,” “I’ll Be There,” “Never Can Say Goodbye,” “Dancing Machine,” “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)” and “This Place Hotel.”

The group also cultivated significant solo careers for each brother, including a certain gloved one coined the “King Of Pop,” while also stirring the showbiz bug for future star sisters Rebbie, La Toya and Janet (“Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty”).

Nowadays, The Jacksons are comprised of Jackie, Marlon and Tito (with occasional appearances from Jermaine) when it comes to world tours, though they, Michael and Randy are all getting equal attention with the expanded digital album editions of 1980’s “Triumph,” 1984’s “Victory” and 1989’s “2300 Jackson Street.”

Chicago Concert Reviews sat down with Marlon just over the state line at the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana to hear all about what it was like growing up in Gary, the ensuing J5 mania, graduating from Motown to Philly International Records, what to expect from these reissues and carrying on the family dynasty well into its sixth decade.

What are your feelings on this facility finally opening in the family’s hometown?

Marlon Jackson: You look at it and it’s amazing. I was here in January of last year when we did the groundbreaking and now we’re sitting here. It’s amazing to see and I take my hat off to the hot rod and chairman of the Seminole tribe, Marcellus Osceola, to believe in Gary, to get with the mayor [Jerome Prince] and senator Ed Milton, and for the Hard Rock to buy into their vision. For them to build a building like this has created a lot of jobs for the citizens of Gary, so it’s the first step in a brand new direction.

Share a bit about some of the memorabilia you brought to be displayed.

Jackson: Tito brought my father’s guitar that he learned how to play. He’s always kept it, so he gave it to the Hard Rock on loan for them to display and some uniforms of ours that we wore back in the day. Then they did a tribute to each family member and you get a chance to walk down and reminisce about the Jackson family.

What comes to mind when you walk the halls and see the exhibits yourself?

Jackson: You think about what city you performed in or what television show you were doing. “Yes, I remember that outfit.” It just brings back memories and togetherness [from] back in those days. The music was unbelievable. Everything was just grand. I can’t complain.

Take us back to the very beginning when your family was living in Gary.

Jackson: There’s ten of us born. My twin brother, Brandon, passed shortly after birth, which left nine of us. We all grew up in that little two-bedroom house with one bathroom in Gary, Indiana. [The Hard Rock] brings back memories about that, and now with the passing of my father [Joseph Jackson], you look back on everything that stemmed from Gary and that little house. They’re in the process putting together a bill that they’re gonna try to get passed, which we think it will, where 2300 Jackson Street will be a historical site.

Once you got the attention of Motown, what was it like on the inside of J5 mania?

Jackson: We’re thankful. We appreciate it, but didn’t let it go take advantage of us. I always tell people I appreciate their support of The Jackson 5 and the Jackson family. We understand that without them we wouldn’t be where we are today, so we don’t let that get in the way of us. Just because you sell records or movies doesn’t make you no better than anyone else and that’s the way we feel. This is a job that we were doing and we’re very thankful that the people supported us, not just domestically, but all over the world. It’s a world brand that everybody knows.

How would you describe the evolution as The Jackson 5 transitioned to The Jacksons?

Jackson: We were teenagers at the time, older teenagers. As music changed, you change and we began to write our own stuff. Some of the songs we wrote on the first two albums, [“The Jacksons” and “Goin’ Places”], were our productions. Then we produced and wrote the whole “Destiny” album. It was a growing period and we took advantage of it. You know, we came from the university of Motown, then we go over to the university of Philly International to work under the umbrella of [Kenneth] Gamble and [Leon] Huff, two great writers with tons of hit records [for The O’Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass and Patti LaBelle]. Walking in those type of universities, you can’t help but come out with the right direction of how you want to do things and understand the laws of putting together a sound.

Give us a glimpse of going solo for your own album and the movies in the late 1980s.

Jackson: You start writing stuff and you want to do things, so I had a solo album, [“Baby Tonight”], that I was doing on Capitol Records. It was great because I recorded that whole album in my studio at home. Then they wanted me to do a song on the soundtrack on “The Golden Child.” I remember Eddie Murphy coming to the house and [being] in the studio when I was doing that track, [“(Let Your Love Find) The Chosen One”]. I had some great times [on my own]. I appreciated them too.

What’s going on now in terms of projects with your brothers?

Jackson: Epic Records has just released three albums: “Triumph,” “Victory” and “2300 Jackson Street.” They’ve been remastered and there are some remixes on there that are pretty eye-catching. The sound is incredible. There’s a “Can You Feel It” version with Dr. [Martin Luther] King [Jr.] and former President [Barack] Obama, and Kirk Franklin did his own version of “Can You Feel It.” It’s a little different, but it also makes you think about what you were doing when that song came out.

There was talk around the “Unity” Tour of new material. Might that be in the cards?

Jackson: We’ve been talking about that and that might be coming cause we do have some new stuff. We just have to put it out. I don’t know if it’s a new album, or just two, or three, or four new things, but I think something’s coming.

As concerts are coming back, what is The Jacksons’ show going to look like?

Jackson: Well, we’ve been blessed to be able to have a plethora of hits, so we have a good list to pick from. That’s because of the supporters out there throughout the years. We’ll definitely do all the songs that people are aware of from The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, [plus] pretty much what we call a Jacksons’ show, [which] is energetic and involves movement, so we’ll try to put something together like that!

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For additional information on The Jacksons, visit TheJacksons.Live.