Leap Year Day!
What's the proper name for the 29th February?
Well, I can't say I'll remember it for anything special personally and I suppose if I had listened to the news all day some very important things have happened across the world.
However, one story broke a few minutes ago and they took off the song they were playing and substituted it with "Daydream Believer" by the American pop group The Monkees.
Davy Jones(originally from Manchester)and member of the group has suffered a fatal heart attack in his sleep.
I don't know how many of their songs he was the featured vocalist as most of those I remember, they were sung collectively or Mickey Dolenz seemed to be the main singer.
It probably is no more than any other story of losing a well known personality but in my case I suppose it touches a place in that for probably a very short time in reality(but they were only around for a short time in popular musical history anyhow)
They were accused of being a manufactured group(and they were put together in such a way)as a kind of American version of The Beatles. It was the complete package including a TV series showing them as wacky and crazy guys. And as each show included a music number and to some extent a kind of early version of a video to accompany the song, maybe that was true. But no less so than today.
They went through a period where their music was played by session musicians and they fought against that and wanted to do it themselves. When that story came out there was a period where the public might've turned against the group but they'd rode out the storm.
I guess that I was a big fan and I did have a few posters on my bedroom wall, I remember buying a few singles(well, them being bought for me is more likely)I might've used my pocket money but I suspect they were a gift. If I went on a shopping trip, I'd usually be given one as a treat.
This was in the days when the local departmental store had a record department and you could ask to hear what you were buying or might buy.
I probably only had a few of their records, I remember having "I'm A Believer" and "Valerie" I'd guess that depending on what money was coming in from the work my parents were doing finding money for a record probably was quite a lot to find.
I don't know what went wrong, they did change their musical direction and brought out a film called "Head" I think that's what it was called. And it all seemed to implode from that moment.
In recent years like many groups of the period they came back did some concert tours but again there were reports that things were not too great between them and the last tour I believe was called off.
I guess that ain't going to happen now.
To some extent they all moved on Peter Tork(had some health problems in recent years)a rare form of cancer but he has his own band, Mike Nesmith was always a musician and had his own career, Mickey Dolenz did a mixture of acting and was/is a TV producer and Davy Jones was performing regularly and doing the circuit in the States and seemed happy and in recent years seemed to be interviewed quite a lot.
Another one has gone...
RIP Davy...
Update:Might've guessed another story would break. Tragic in a different way. PC David Rathband was doing his job and almost at the end of his shift when he was shot in the face, twice at short range resulting in him losing his sight.
Over the last year or two the media and public have seen him battle to keep his independence, trying to save his marriage, keep a job of some sort hopefully still in the police force which he obviously loved. It is sadly quite apparent that he had many demons to overcome.
It seems he had been in Australia seeing his brother for a month and had recently returned to the UK in the last few days. A newspaper reports some rather downbeat Twitter messages were being posted by him. And now it appears last evening Police were called to his home where his body was found. Yet to be confirmed but it would appear that he found it all too much and committed suicide. They are not looking for anyone else.
Another life and family's destiny changed forever.
RIP David...
The link I have given gives a background to the story but therea re some sites that have some quite gruesome images of what the PC looked like soon after the shooting.
I'd love to add sound to my blog(with acknowledgement to where it has come from)There is a short interview with PC Rathband in his own words but I'm not sure that can be done with a blog...you can add video and images but...
Well, I can't say I'll remember it for anything special personally and I suppose if I had listened to the news all day some very important things have happened across the world.
However, one story broke a few minutes ago and they took off the song they were playing and substituted it with "Daydream Believer" by the American pop group The Monkees.
Davy Jones(originally from Manchester)and member of the group has suffered a fatal heart attack in his sleep.
I don't know how many of their songs he was the featured vocalist as most of those I remember, they were sung collectively or Mickey Dolenz seemed to be the main singer.
It probably is no more than any other story of losing a well known personality but in my case I suppose it touches a place in that for probably a very short time in reality(but they were only around for a short time in popular musical history anyhow)
They were accused of being a manufactured group(and they were put together in such a way)as a kind of American version of The Beatles. It was the complete package including a TV series showing them as wacky and crazy guys. And as each show included a music number and to some extent a kind of early version of a video to accompany the song, maybe that was true. But no less so than today.
They went through a period where their music was played by session musicians and they fought against that and wanted to do it themselves. When that story came out there was a period where the public might've turned against the group but they'd rode out the storm.
I guess that I was a big fan and I did have a few posters on my bedroom wall, I remember buying a few singles(well, them being bought for me is more likely)I might've used my pocket money but I suspect they were a gift. If I went on a shopping trip, I'd usually be given one as a treat.
This was in the days when the local departmental store had a record department and you could ask to hear what you were buying or might buy.
I probably only had a few of their records, I remember having "I'm A Believer" and "Valerie" I'd guess that depending on what money was coming in from the work my parents were doing finding money for a record probably was quite a lot to find.
I don't know what went wrong, they did change their musical direction and brought out a film called "Head" I think that's what it was called. And it all seemed to implode from that moment.
In recent years like many groups of the period they came back did some concert tours but again there were reports that things were not too great between them and the last tour I believe was called off.
I guess that ain't going to happen now.
To some extent they all moved on Peter Tork(had some health problems in recent years)a rare form of cancer but he has his own band, Mike Nesmith was always a musician and had his own career, Mickey Dolenz did a mixture of acting and was/is a TV producer and Davy Jones was performing regularly and doing the circuit in the States and seemed happy and in recent years seemed to be interviewed quite a lot.
Another one has gone...
RIP Davy...
Update:Might've guessed another story would break. Tragic in a different way. PC David Rathband was doing his job and almost at the end of his shift when he was shot in the face, twice at short range resulting in him losing his sight.
Over the last year or two the media and public have seen him battle to keep his independence, trying to save his marriage, keep a job of some sort hopefully still in the police force which he obviously loved. It is sadly quite apparent that he had many demons to overcome.
It seems he had been in Australia seeing his brother for a month and had recently returned to the UK in the last few days. A newspaper reports some rather downbeat Twitter messages were being posted by him. And now it appears last evening Police were called to his home where his body was found. Yet to be confirmed but it would appear that he found it all too much and committed suicide. They are not looking for anyone else.
Another life and family's destiny changed forever.
RIP David...
The link I have given gives a background to the story but therea re some sites that have some quite gruesome images of what the PC looked like soon after the shooting.
I'd love to add sound to my blog(with acknowledgement to where it has come from)There is a short interview with PC Rathband in his own words but I'm not sure that can be done with a blog...you can add video and images but...
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 7:33 pm
2 Comments:
The death of Davy Jones was so sad, Gildy. My sister and I had their posters on our wall, too. Davy was my sisters first crush. We both loved them. :)
I called her yesterday and we commiserated on how sad it was that Davy was gone and share some memories of listening to The Monkees music and watching the show.
RIP Davy...we love ya' still. :(
Sorry to hear about the other death. I've never heard of the gentleman, but suicide always such a sad thing.
My best to you and Mum,
Jan
Jan,
Looking over some of the information on The Monkees perhaps they had a larger musical legacy than I thought.
I'll add a link to the story of PC Rathbone into the main post. I've forgotten how to add links in the comments section.
Thank you for your continued good wishes...its always appreciated.
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