George Jones Interview | Son Of MAN | 2015

George Jones Interview – Guitarist for Rock/Blues/Psychedelia/Progressive band Son Of MAN. In this interview we talk about the late guitarist Micky Jones of MAN, tour dates, influences, guitar collections and amps.

George Jones Interview

– What’s new with George Jones and Son Of MAN in 2015?

We are playing in and around the U.K. in 2015, doing some dates in Wales, London, South West of England, some festivals and we will be recording our debut album this year, we hope to have that out before the end of the year. Aside from new material, we are constantly working on the set, learning some old classics and keeping things fresh, we love the music man, we are having a good time with it!

– Could you explain the concept between Son Of MAN and the band called Man? Their is a Wikipedia page of the band Man and then there is Son Of MAN?

When I took over from my father after his unfortunate illness (I never replaced him by the way, Micky Jones is irreplaceable) and Josh, Martin’s son joined the band following mainstay Deke Leonards departure, people used to joke and say “hey it’s Son’s of MAN” . The band had a multi generation line up, with the fathers and the son’s

When Bob Richards and I left MAN in 2008 we decided we would continue to play the bands music, with my father being the founding member I saw it only right that i continued the family legacy, one of the last things my father ever said to me was “it’s up to you now to keep my music alive”. I love the music of Man and Dad was a huge influence musically, their was no question about it really.

When dad passed on in 2010 I organised a memorial concert for him and put together a group of musicians (Bob Richards on drums, Glenn Quinn on Bass and Chris Buck on guitar). We called it Son of MAN, it seemed quite apt. At the second memorial a week later, the first sold out, I put another band together (Bob Richards on drums, Glenn Quinn now on guitar and Ray Jones, Bass, Marco James, Keys and Richie Galloni on Vocals) The latter three musicians were from another well known Welsh band called Sassafras. In a series of event the two bands who played those nights merged into what we have now.

We play a mixture of MAN classics, but heavily focused on Micky’s input, Original material and some Sassafras material.

It’s been an extremely rewarding experience, musically and personally. Long may it continue.

– Could you describe some of your earliest influences as a guitarist?

Micky obviously, sometimes I don’t even realise, it just happens, must be in the genes. Deke Leonard, was also another massive influence on my playing, Micky’s counterpart, his partner in crime. Im pleased to say I’m forming a very good relationship with Glenn in Son of MAN, our styles are very different, yet somehow, it works.

I love Mike Campbell from Tom Petty’s band, he is such a tasteful player and plays whats right for the song. Jeff Beck is a favourite, Les Paul, Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa and we can’t talk about guitar players without mentioning the man Jimi Hendrix…..he’s the reason we are all here!

I really like some of the Local guys as well round our way, namely Gary Lewis, Mark Pontin, Chris Buck, Troy Redfern, Kevin Ford, Taff Williams, Brian Breeze and Tweke Lewis, to name a few…..

– Which notable musicians and bands have you played with in the past?

I joined MAN when I was 19 and hit the road so I’ve shared the stage with lots of acts including, Hawkwind, Manfred Mann, Karnataka, Robin Trower, 10CC, Nektar, Nazareth (great bunch of guys!)

I used to play in a band called The Spectaculars, we recorded an album called Vicious Pop with an engineer called Adam Fuest (Blade Runner, Toni Braxton, Babyshambles). It was a very mixed bag musically. Just imagine The Red hot Chilli Peppers, Ministry, B52’s and The Sex Pistols having a Jam….It was a great three years, a lot of fun.

– How many shows do you play per year on average, and how crazy does the schedule get?

It varies you know, Ive always got several things going. I hate doing just one thing, you get stuck in a rut you know? In a busy year? probably about 150 gigs or so?

– Could you describe what goes on in a day in your life as a musician on tour?

Hahahahaha! What! Sex, Drug’s and Rock and Roll. Well for starters i’m a married man, it’s actually my 9th wedding anniversary today, so their is none of that on the road. Drugs? I don’t need those, my old man did it for me, I’ve probably got it running through my bloodstream anyway! Plenty of rock and roll tho’, that’s what we are all here for, it’s all about the music…….and the free bar!

Usually it”s drive to the gig, soundcheck, sit around, dinner, play the show, hotel, wake up, drive to the next gig……repeat. It sounds monotonous, but in-between, you have wonderful moments on stage, you meet great people, make friends for life, see different places every day. Its a fabulous way of life and you get paid to do it. Getting back home to your family is great, the best feeling ever, but the body clock needs time to adjust you know, you get into a cycle.

– How did you create your guitar tone? Do you continue to tweak it or is «old faithful» the way to go?

Its been a long voyage of discovery and I’m not finished I’m sure. As you develop as a musician you mature, your needs change. Part of being a guitarist is believing that the grass is always greener on the other side, especially when it comes to tone. The basis of My rig is a Handmade Fender style amp, by a great builder called Eli Abbott based on the Deluxe Reverb, it’s got an EV12L in it so it can handle pretty much anything. I blend that amp with my old Marshall JCM 2000, I’ve had it for years now and its never let me down. Pedals have been an ever changing evolving process, I’ve found some great local pedal builders who’ve made me some cool stuff. It’s not always about the brands you know!

The core of the board includes sounds that Micky used, even some of his pedals and some of mine, for a more personal touch, after all, this is about me putting my spin on the music as well as being faithful to the tones Micky created. I have a Custom Micky Jones Booster and Mad Professor Royal Blue overdrive. I have a Analogman Sunface in their, an amazing pedal. I have an Octavia made by a guy in Cardiff. A custom VOX, thats been voiced like an old Clyde. For delay I use a Boss DD3 and for more ambient sounds a Strymon El Capistan. Modulation wise, their is a Mini Vent, which is like a Leslie effect, A Fulltone Deja Vibe, a Fulltone Supatrem and finally an old Boss Chorus, it’s battered, but amazing sounding. It all seems like a lot, but we play a full retrospectve of MAN music as well as our original music, so their is a lot of ground to cover. The final piece in the Jigsaw was getting Micky’s guitars maintained, the past few years they have been done by a great Luthier and guitarist called Gary Lewis, Gary has a lot of respect for the guitars, his own instruments are incredible too. I then found another luthier, called Jeff Beer, who did extensive work on Micky’s guitars and my own, he really has brought them back to life. Mickys guitars include

1961 SG Les Paul

Purchased for Micky by Alan Rogan, the guitar tech for Pete Townsend. This guitar was bought for £55 in 1971 following the theft of Micky’s 1963 Gibson 335. It is the instrument used on every MAN album from “Do you Like it here now” till “Endangered Species”

Micky Jones 1961 Fender Stratocaster

Previously owned and purchased from legendary West Coast guitarist John Cipollina for $100, this guitar remained a back up to Micky’s SG until the early 80’s. After the Manbands reformation in 83’ till his passing it became Micky’s number 1 guitar. It has a very slim C shaped neck making it very playable.

I also had My father’s old Echoplex restored by Eli Abbott, I’m looking forward to using that, although I don’t think it will handle the rigours of the road so well! Haha!

– Any words on advice for new guitarist?

From the beginning? Use your ears, they are your best friend. Play with as many people as possible, record yourself. Don’t shy away from any style of music. Music is a universal language and their is nothing wrong with extending your vocabualary, it will make you a better player. Most of all, Enjoy yourself…..

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