Welsh Guitarist Micky Jones RIP

just heard the inevitable sad news, Micky Jones, the brilliant guitarist for the Welsh band Man has just left us. He's been incapacitated for a few years now due to a brain tumor, but his passing leaves a huge gap in this world we know. I met Micky when he first came over to the states in 1974. I was thrilled when Bill Graham took a liking to Man and did them a few huge favor$. I spent the summer of 1978 traveling around the UK with Mick and his band. No one was more surprised when Man regrouped in 1983. In 1994, I arranged for them to come to Seattle to record the album Call Down The Moon. They also played twice while there, which were the only gigs they did after the 76 tour.

When they walked out on stage in 1974, the first thing they said was "anyone know where John Cipollina lives". I helped arrange that meeting the next year, and witnessed their first encounter. It was the stuff of legends. We ended up back at the Corta Madera house, and there were guns involved. In many ways they were responsible for John's return to form. They didn't cut him any slack, and pushed him to his later day limits. In the end he redeemed himself the year after they toured the UK together and did the famous Maximum Darkness album.

I will always remember Micky Jones as one of the funniest people I have ever met. His sly humor could be cutting, but he was only ever nice to me. Last time I saw him play was at the London Terrastock. Afterwards, I bought a round of top shelf drinks and we said "so long". I never would have imagined that would be the last encounter.

As a crazy friend once said "pound for pound, the best guitar player in the world". Very true. cheers to a fallen hero

 

a few more photos from the sessions at Egg in Seattle 1994

 

yeah just heard myself

RIP


http://www.manband.co.uk/

http://www.mickyjones.co.uk/MJ_Biog.htm

 

Sad news, indeed. RIP.

Chris

 

So sorry to hear this - thanks for letting us know Ron. Micky was one of the greats. I was a huge fan of all those Man albums and side projects.

Bobby Sutliff

 

Wow. Love the Man Band. Still looking for that '75 KSAN (live broadcast) show. Great memories. I will have to play Maximum Darkness (original vinyl) tonight. RIP Micky!

 

I discovered Man when Be Good To Yourself At Least Once A Day came out. Was lucky enough to see them on the 1974 tour. I still spin their records frequently.
Rest in peace my Welsh brother, and thanks for the wonderful music.

 

Sad news, Man is one of my favorite bands. Only saw them once on the 1974 US tour with Hawkwind.

 

R.I.P. Micky

 

Hey:

Mickey is one the great unknown rock guitar players.

T.

 

sad news Ron, what a GREAT guitar player he was.....he's jamming with Cippo again, in heaven ...maybe someday you can get some of those Micky Jones Band shows released....

 

RIP

 

Man gets a fairly regular play in this household too - I love the cuts on the 'Greasy Truckers Party Album'
Very sad news.

Condolences to family & friends.

Best Wishes
David

 

I wrote this piece a few years ago, when it became apparent Micky wasn't going to recover. Micky Jones

There are a few bits of live performances from my archives to illustrate the man's incredible talents.

Here is one of the ski films with a bit of a Micky Jones demo used as the sound track. The people doing the films haven't the slightest idea who Micky was, but they seemed to like his playing and have used this piece and another several times in the last couple of weeks. BridgerBowl.com March 9th

 

a couple of vids featuring Micky...

The 1975 4 piece, just before they came back to the states, and broke up. Finished the tour with Martin Ace, who flew over to play three shows Bill Graham had offered them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E21APHL0P68

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRfHkvwWENM

The classic line up from 1970 or so...

 

Very sad news Ron.....

Another great passes.

T.

 

Great photos! RIP.

 

a few more pix.. I did an hour long tribute to Micky on my radio show today.

KGLT March 12 2010

 

Opening the gatefold cover of "Be Good To Yourself..." the first time: priceless.

Ron, it is so cool that you got to meet and play with these guys. Despite the mountains of LPs I was buying back then, Man was my favorite band, and Mickey and Deke were my heroes.

 

been rockin' the Man CDs over the last few days: Back Into The Future (1973), Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics (1974) and The 1999 Party (1974) and another distinct thing about Micky Jones is his singing voice, not what you'd call American Idol worthy (thank god!) but I really like it, he sounds like no other...the great thing about this band is the variety of styles present as well as the volumous amounts of music they and their related bands have left us (Neutrons, Help Yourself, Clive John, Deke Leonard's Iceberg) I have every release by these guys including all the archival stuff up thru the seventies and it's just so much music, meaning it's hard to ever get tired of them, I'd say if I was only able to listen to 5 bands ever again, they'd definately be one of them, not even sure who the others would be... I love every single one of their releases except for Welsh Connection, their last seventies studio LP from 1976...

 

The Berkeley Square (live) shows are great too. Lived just around the corner from that place in the 70's.

 

Ron: what's that If You Don't Like Us Tonight You Never Will CD in your picture? Is this another Cali show, it doesn't seem to be on the Manband Archive: http://www.manband-archive.com/index.php

 

It is a mock up of a proposed compilation from my tapes. Paul at Mod Lang wanted to put something out. I did a double disc and single disc edit. I must reassemble it, using the newer technology in the studio.

 

Oops! I meant the Keystone Berkeley. Great version of Let The Good Times Roll on that one.

 

Are we ever going to get any of that KSAN live broadcast show? Wish I could find my cassette tape of that one. Incredible version of You're Out Of Your Head - the whole place was singin' with Deke and Micky!