Pitchfork

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jermaine Jackson told the Australian Associated Press yesterday that the legendary Motown family band the Jackson 5 are going to reunite in 2009.

Jackson said, "This has been a long time coming for the Jackson family to get back together. It is just the timing, so what we've been doing is working on the music and all the logistics. It is going to be more like a family affair, Janet's going to open and, of course, the original Jackson 5... Michael, Randy and the whole family...We're in the studio, we're planning on being out there next year."

OK, so, the original Jackson 5-- that would be Jermaine, Jackie, Marlon, Tito, and, of course, Michael-- are going to go on tour next year? And sister Janet Jackson is going to open the tour? And they're in the studio together? And Jermaine Jackson decided to announce this at the launch of a new Australian television channel? As Mark Richardson put it, if all of this is actually true, we'll moonwalk on the ceiling.

Rumors of a Jackson 5 reunion have fluttered around for years, particularly in recent times, as Michael's once-stratospheric solo career has taken a nose dive. Their last album together was 1989's 2300 Jackson Street.

When the Australian AP asked Jermaine about Michael's whereabouts, he responded, "I don't know. I think he's in Egypt riding a camel or something." Not a good sign.