Yes, heard it reported on the top-of-the-hour news. Died of a heart attack. The Monkees were slightly before my time, still, their TV show was pretty funny at the time it came out and I got to see it. Didn't care for all the female fawning over groups of these types way back then but for some reason, the Monkees and Davy in particular were okay. 66 is pretty young these days - may Davy RIP!
The Monkees had the good sense to have Jimi Hendrix open their first tour and to have Tim Buckley perform on the TV show so they were fine with me. Yes 66 is pretty young these days.
The powers that be had the good sense to have the best studio musicians in LA cut their tracks, and the guys had the good sense take 'lessons' from them.
I used to rush home on Saturday's when I was a kid to see the Monkees. They had great songs and they gave a lot of pleasure. They were manufactured but they were good.
When I read the title I thought this was a joke about the Davy Jones of Davy Jones' Locker fame. So it is a bit of a surprise and I'm sorry to hear it. Yes, it is unsettling when someone dies at an age that I now consider young, and there have been too many of them lately. They seemed to be a nice bunch of guys even if back then we didn't think they were very cool. I watched the show sometimes and it was good for a few laughs.
The riff and song were played by Louie Shelton from Boyce & Harts Band The Candy Store Prophets. According to Andrew Sandovals Book" Monkees Day to Day History" Tommy Boyce said They were at RCAs Hollywood studio in May of 1965 doing some recording, at the same time the Rolling Stones were there recording Satisfaction, and his inspiration came from the Keith Richards riff. Not Mike Nesmith
Many assume it was Tommy Tedesco or Glen Cambell but it was Shelton who also worked with Seals and Crofts. I was jokin' about him getting real good although he was a competent player.
I haven't heard it, but I should probably look it up. I remember getting the Monkees 45 of that song when I was a kid and playing it on our record player so much that I drove the rest of the family nuts. I had not seen the Monkees show since it originally aired and then caught an episode a few years ago. I couldn't believe how hilarious it was. So sorry to hear about Davy Jones's sudden death.
Davy Jones had a legitimate Broadway career before the Monkees, while two of the other three had respectable musical careers after. The canned stuff wasn't their fault; it was the environment, and I think all four of them carried it off about as well as any one could ask, while making a lot of people happy. I'm sorry to see the first one go, way too soon.
I played with Davy (and Micky and Peter) for years. What an amazing guy with a lot of love for life. I've never been around someone who was more adept at getting an audience on his side even when they weren't into it in the beginning ("What is this, an audience or an oil painting??" was a favorite line). Singing, dancing, whatever it took. And while his on-stage sense of humor was great, his off-stage humor was even better. I'll really miss him.
RIP Davy Jones. I will always remember their TV series from when I was a lot younger. My wife especially was a big Monkees fan and especially Davy. She has many Davy Jones collectibles. It is sad. Another soul that is gone far too young.
I just read the article online about his death and I'm shocked to learn that it could have been prevented. He had gone to the hospital the night before complaining of chest pains, which even idiots know are a clear sign of an impending coronary. The guy obviously knew he had heart problems because the article says he joked last year that he used to be a heartthrob but now was a coronary. When someone with known heart problems comes in to a hospital you would think tht by now they'd keep them there for a few days of testing and observation given how many people have been sent home only to suffer a massive attack and die. I know of at least a couple. But instead of being in a safe place he was allowed to leave as if all was normal and the very next day died after complainin of shortness of breath--another big warning light. Why didn't anyone who he told about that do something like call 911 and rush him to the hospital? With heart attacks so common in men of that age, it boggles my mind that there are no better safeguards now than there were decades ago. People shouldn't be dying of this with the medical advaces we have made, yet a youthful guy like him just has. And insurance was clearly not an issue..
I had a friend who was once obsessed a little with the Monkees & esp.
Davy. She told me the story about how she once lived in Atlantic City for awhile, around 20 yrs ago. The Monkee's were playing the weekend & somehow she met them & Davy & his wife ended up asking her to baby sit their kids for the weekend. She did it & it was cool, but at the end of the weekend, Davy (probably sensing her rabid fan nature) only thanked her & didn't even offer her ONE DIME!!
Needless to say, that helped her get the "Monkee" off her back & move on, as far as being a fan was concerned.
Well, the heartthrob line was a joke he had been using forever. As far as I knew, he had no major health problems - full of energy and I traveled with him a lot, although not so much in the last few years. It's sad and unfortunate.
That may be and you'd know better than I would. since you worked with him. I was just assuming it from the nature of the joke because jokes on aging tend to be based on the commonly shared realities of those who know them because they are now old and subject to the problems being joked about.
Jazz is All, I was shocked as well when I read he had been released from the hospital just before his death. Whether Jones had a history of heart problems or not, it seems the hospital should have exercised far more caution.
Sad news. As a kid I used to really enjoy the TV show. They did some good songs.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Sax on the Web Forum
3.3M posts
75.5K members
Since 2003
A forum community dedicated to saxophone players and enthusiasts originally founded by Harri Rautiainen. Come join the discussion about collections, care, displays, models, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!