Davy Jones: The Beatles were manufactured

Friday, May 11, 2007

Davy Jones: The Beatles were manufactured

Davy Jones says that the Beatles were just as manufactured as his own band, the Monkees. Jones told delmarvanow.com that, "I think the Monkees have been viewed as a band that was manufactured, but the first manufactured band was really the Beatles. They were put by (manager) Brian Epstein in the same boots and the same suits. I was on the The Ed Sullivan Show the same night that they (made their debut on live American TV) in 1964. I was one of the acts that night (with the cast of Oliver!) and I saw what was going on... That's what show business is like."

Jones says that although he only considered the Beatles to be only an average live act, what they accomplished artistically was tremendous: "I'm sure that if you had seen the Beatles at Shea Stadium, (it would've been) questionable as to what was going on and what you were hearing. You listen to them on The Ed Sullivan Show, even now, it's a bit sketchy, but you know, who cares? They went on to do wonderful stuff and we were dying to hear 'The White Album' and Rubber Soul and all the rest of the stuff that came later."


Jones, who'll kick off a series of dates later this week at Disney World, joked that, "I used to be a heartthrob. Now I'm a coronary." He added that at 61 he's finally come to terms with his global fame: "Once you reach a celebrity status, people look at you and all of a sudden you've become better looking, more intelligent, you become taller -- all these things that you're not really."

He went on to say, "I didn't choose to be an authority, I didn't choose to be an example. I didn't realize that was all part of it. I didn't realize my celebrity would effect my sisters, my father, my aunts, my uncles, the lads that grew up with me who were on the same soccer team."

Last month Monkee Peter Tork slammed Rolling Stone editor and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame co-founder Jann Wenner for blocking the group's entry into the Rock Hall. Tork claimed that Wenner believes that the group lacks credibility because they didn't play on their initial hits.

Davy Jones will next perform May 11th (Friday) through 15th in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, at Disney World.

http://www.therockradio.com/2007/05/...ufactured.html

Well, somebody sounds bitter.


Mr. Jones is confused. The Beatles were a real band long before they became famous. All Brian did was tweak their image. The Monkees were put together after a casting call for a TV show and didn't even play instruments on their early records. Big difference.

he's got a gig at disney world. no wonder he's bitter.

Well, he's right about one thing.

It's true he really isn't that intelligent.

It's a pity he seems unhappy.

I saw the Monkees' reunion concert in the 80's three times. I took my Mom to the last show and we were in the orchestra pit's first row, so cool. I gave Davy a big teddy bear and he sang "I Wanna Be Free" to the bear, then came over, took my hand and thanked me for it. Aww.... I was so pleased because I grew up with the Monkees and loved Davy.

Peter seemed like a bit of a grumpy guy, but Davy and Mickey were so happy and fun at that time. Perhaps this interview is from a longer interview and is edited to make him appear bitter? You know, maybe in between he had more nice things to say which are on the cutting room floor.

Originally Posted by Lady Madonna

Well, somebody sounds bitter.
Mr. Jones is confused. The Beatles were a real band long before they became famous. All Brian did was tweak their image.

Exactly. How Davy can confuse professionalism with being "manufactured" in the Monkeys definition of the word is laughable and he has to know that, right?

He couldn't have thought much about what was being said. Perhaps this is the work of clever editing as has been suggested. I have learned to pause for thought until all the facts are known before finalizing my opinions but this was too tempting to comment on because he sure sounds bitter. He lashed out at the wrong band to draw similarities.

Maybe the Grass Roots would be a more accurate comparison with its various manipulations of personnel but even they played their own instruments. Anybody have any other possibilities?

If the Beatles were manufactured, then every band that has ever been signed to a record label, had at least a little bit of success, etc. has been. What happened to them wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

Only thing Beatles manufactured was their appearance.

What monkees manufactured was just about everything they did. Tork and Nesmith were some sort of musicians, though. Jones and Dolenz were actors.

*with a red face, steam comming out of her ears, and hyperventalating* MANUFACTURED EH????

Sorry... *deep breath*

Well to quote the Simpsons "Ewww.... you like the Monkees? You know they don't write their own songs, OR right their own instruments."

Now who is manufactured eh?? And please......200 years from now the names "John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr" will still be as common to the average ear as words like "soap, book, Mozart, Beethoven, guitar" and whatever, while people will hear Davy Jones and think pirates, (if that isn't already the case).

Originally Posted by Loony_leo

And please......200 years from now the names "John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr" will still be as common to the average ear as words like "soap, book, Mozart, Beethoven, guitar" and whatever, while people will hear Davy Jones and think pirates, (if that isn't already the case).

I did think of the Pirates of the Carribbean movies before I thought of the Monkees!
And the Monkee Davy Jones does seem rather bitter. I'm not sure what definition of "manufactured" he's using, because if the Beatles were manufactured, I don't know if there's even a word for what the Monkees are! If the Beatles are "manufactured," then GirlWithKaleidoscopeEyes is right--all bands who've ever landed a record deal are "manufactured."

Maybe Davy got sick and tired of hearing people say the Monkees weren't talented compared to the Beatles.

Originally Posted by VersusBatman

Maybe Davy got sick and tired of hearing people say the Monkees weren't talented compared to the Beatles.

yep!

and davy probably has no idea that his comment would end up on a beatles forum, either!

Not to sound cliche, but if it weren't for the Beatles, there wouldn't be the Monkees. A Hard Days Night was the inspiration for the TV show.

Yes and so was Help.

In the early days, the Beatles were a bar band marketed as a boy band, so they could get a record deal. They had to contend with unimaginative record company execs. They were such ground-breakers as a band because few wrote most of their own material back then.

I still like the Monkees, tho. I do think Davy's comments were taken a bit out of context, and that he is not really bitter. I don't think he understands the difference, tho, between being "manufactured" and being "marketed." But hey-hey, he's a Monkee.

I don't dislike the Monkees. I enjoy a couple of their songs, but I do think the Beatles' music and impact is ultimately much greater and that the Monkees were dependent on the Beatles in some fashion for their success (the extent of the dependence is debatable, I suppose!).

Geez. Has he got his lines crossed. Someone seems a bit jealous. Like what Lady Madonna said, The Beatles were a band before they became famous. As far as I know, the Monkees were not. They were put together by the TV producers, right? And why does Disney World want Davy to perform there? What's he got to do with them?

Davey Jones is actually a very nice, down-to-earth guy with sense of humor. I like his little dig at himself "I used to be a heartthrob. Now I'm a coronary."
It's just his view of what 'manufactured' means. He's very complimentary of our boys in this article.

Dave Jones is actually quite a cool one, Mickey is funny and he does not have any issues with his Monkees legacy. Tork is alright too. Mike Nesmith, I think, is a bit too much critical about his past. I know he was not allowed to play his instrument even if he could and he thought that being a Monkee can actually damage his reputation as a serious musician.

Pot, meet kettle.

Originally Posted by BadLittleKid

I know he was not allowed to play his instrument even if he could and he thought that being a Monkee can actually damage his reputation as a serious musician.

their whole downfall started when they thought they were serious musicians in the sense that they could be independant of the record machine.
They may have been serious artists as actors or singers but once Neil Diamond stopped writing their songs it started to unravel.
Too bad it was a cool show for it's time if only they would have left it at that.