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Kenney Jones

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This article is about the English drummer and musician. For similarly-named musicians and other people, see Ken Jones.

Kenney Jones
Jones in 2007
Jones in 2007
Background information
Birth nameKenneth Thomas Jones
Born (1948-09-16) 16 September 1948 (age 76)
Whitechapel, London, England
Genres
OccupationMusician
Instruments
Years active1964–present
Member ofThe Jones Gang
Formerly of
Websitekenneyjones.com

Kenneth Thomas Jones (born 16 September 1948) is an English drummer best known for his work in the groups Small Faces, Faces and the Who. Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Small Faces/Faces.[1]

Biography

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Early life

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Kenneth Thomas Jones was born on 16 September 1948 in Whitechapel, London, England.[2][3]

Small Faces to the Faces

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Having previously been in a band with Ronnie Lane, Jones was one of the founding members of the English rock group Small Faces. Active from 1965 to 1969, Small Faces were part of the Mod trend of the 1960s. Their hits included "All or Nothing", "Sha-La-La-La-Lee", "Itchycoo Park" and "Tin Soldier".

In 2007, Small Faces were honoured by Westminster Council with a commemorative plaque placed at what was Don Arden's offices in Carnaby Street, the band's "spiritual home". Jones himself unveiled the plaque. In a BBC interview, Jones said: "To honour the Small Faces after all these years is a terrific achievement. I only wish that Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane and Don Arden were here to enjoy this moment with me".[4] Since the death of Jimmy Winston in September 2020, Jones and Rick Wills are the sole surviving members of the Small Faces.

In 2004 The Observer listed the Small Faces' 1968 release Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake one of the "top British albums of all time".[5]

After the departure of lead singer/guitarist Steve Marriott in 1969, the group recruited singer Rod Stewart and guitarist Ronnie Wood to replace Marriott. Both were formerly with the Jeff Beck Group. The band changed its name to the Faces, as the original name was associated with the small stature of its members, and Stewart and Wood did not fit the description. Jones remained with the band until its dissolution in late 1975, recording four studio albums and a live album with them.[6]

The Who

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Jones drumming with The Who in 1980

In November 1978, Jones was invited by guitarist Pete Townshend and manager Bill Curbishley to join The Who, replacing their original drummer Keith Moon, who had died of a drug overdose in September.[7] He was invited, in part, because the band had been friendly with him from his days with the Small Faces (he and Moon were friends and were together on the last night of Moon's life in 1978, as part of the viewing party put together by Paul McCartney for The Buddy Holly Story), and because he had played with Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle on the Tommy soundtrack. He played on the albums Face Dances and It's Hard and also played on the soundtrack for Daltrey's film McVicar, as well as on the band's tours from 1979 to 1982. Jones played with the band at Live Aid in 1985.

Jones' final appearance as a regular member of the Who was when the group received a lifetime achievement award at the 1988 British Phonographic Industry awards ceremony. He was frequently at odds with Daltrey, who felt that Jones' drumming style was not right for the band (Jones's playing was usually straighter and less frenetic than Moon's), but Daltrey has denied having anything personal against Jones or his drumming.[8]

Jones was replaced by Simon Phillips for the Who's 1989 reunion tour. In an April 2011 special edition of Uncut magazine,[9] Townshend said that Jones was a good choice for the band.

Jones reunited with The Who on 14 June 2014 at the Rock n Horsepower benefit concert held at his Hurtwood Polo Club. The band performed for an event set up by Jones to benefit Prostate Cancer UK, an organization that promotes awareness of the disease that Jones has. It was the first time that he had appeared onstage with Townshend and Daltrey since 1988. Sharing the bill were contemporaries such as Jeff Beck, Procol Harum and Mike Rutherford.[10]

The Law

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Jones formed partnerships with former Free, Bad Company, and The Firm singer Paul Rodgers in the early 1990s, forming a band called The Law.

The Jones Gang

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In 2001, Jones formed a new band; over several months, the line-up solidified to include Rick Wills and Robert Hart. In 2005, The Jones Gang released their debut album, Any Day Now.

Guest appearances

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Jones has been featured on recordings as a guest drummer on many recording sessions, including appearances on albums by Rod Stewart, The Rolling Stones, Ronnie Wood, Roger Daltrey, Andy Fairweather-Low,[11] Joan Armatrading, Keith Moon, Marsha Hunt, Mike Batt, Pete Townshend, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, David Essex, John Lodge and Wings. He was also on a Top of the Pops performance with Status Quo, performing their 1986 hit single, "Red Sky".

Outside music

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Outside of music, Jones is a fan of polo. He has become an accomplished polo player and is the owner of Hurtwood Park Polo Club, in Ewhurst, Surrey.[12]

On behalf of Small Faces and in memory of his late colleagues Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, Jones established a children's charity, the Small Faces Charitable Trust, in 1999.[13]

Jones is a supporter of the Conservative Party,[14] and recorded a song called "Mr Brown" written by Robert Hart, criticising the tax policies of the then Chancellor of Exchequer Gordon Brown.[15] He has also performed in support of the Countryside Alliance.[16]

Jones' memoir, Let the Good Times Roll: My Life in Small Faces, Faces, and The Who, was released in September 2018 (ISBN 9781250193568).

Personal life

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Jones has six children. He is married to retired model Jayne Andrew, mother of four of his children. He was previously married to singer Jan Osborne, sister of Gary Osborne.[17] In September 2013 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, for which he was treated with brachytherapy.[18]

Jones stated that he "virtually taught" Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, how to play drums.[19] Jones was close friends with Starkey's parents. After replacing Moon in The Who, Jones gave Starkey one of Moon's old drum kits.[19] In 1996, Starkey became The Who's touring drummer.

References

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  1. ^ "British Film Institute: Kenney Jones, born Stepney, East London + band history". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  2. ^ Neill, Andy (2015). Had Me a Real Good Time: The Faces Before During and After (2 ed.). London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1783059959. Kenneth Thomas Jones was born on September 16, 1948, at the London Hospital, Whitechapel
  3. ^ Prato, Greg. "Kenney Jones Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  4. ^ "6 Music – Headline". BBC. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  5. ^ "Observer Music Monthly's Top 100 British albums". The Guardian.co.uk. 20 June 2004. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
  6. ^ Zentgraf, Nico. "Woodworks 1957–1975". Retrieved 23 February 2008.
  7. ^ "'Who I Am': Rock icon Pete Townshend tells his story" . MSNBC. Retrieved 23 November 2012
  8. ^ "The History of Kenney Jones' Time With the Who". Ultimate Classic Rock. January 2016.
  9. ^ "Uncut - April 2011". Archive.org. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  10. ^ Watkins, James (11 June 2014). "Kenney Jones to perform with The Who on stage for first time in more than 25 years". GetSurrey.
  11. ^ "La Booga Rooga - Andy Fairweather Low | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  12. ^ "Times Online: Jones, and he freely admits he dies his hairowner of Hurtwood Park Polo Club, Surrey. England". The Times. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  13. ^ "Jones sets up Small Faces children's charity in memory of former Small Faces colleagues Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane". Small Faces Charitable Trust. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  14. ^ Gourlay, Dom (3 April 2012). ""The best dressed band in England" - DiS meets Kenney Jones of The Small Faces & The Who / In Depth // Drowned In Sound". Drownedinsound.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  15. ^ Davies, Mark (21 November 2002). "Jones, supporter of The Conservative Party – records song criticising Gordon Brown". BBC News. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  16. ^ Cheal, David (22 May 2007). "Rock's aristocrats show their class". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  17. ^ "Musician Drummer Kenney Jones Wife Jan Editorial Stock Photo - Stock Image". Shutterstock.com.
  18. ^ ""I'm kicking myself," says drummer who ignored prostate cancer signs". Getsurrey.co.uk. 2 June 2014.
  19. ^ a b Ivie, Devon (8 July 2021). "Kenney Jones on the 'Fondness and Sadness' of His Who Era "As I'm concerned there's only one drummer for the Who, and that's Keith Moon."". Vulture.com. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
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