With a career spanning six decades, Kenney reveals what went on during the most exciting era of British music.
Beginning in a post-war East End, Kenney’s story takes us through the Mod revolution (which he is credited as a founder of) and the swinging ’60s, where he was in all of the right places at the right time – hanging out with The Stones, The Beatles, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Moon, Rod Stewart and Bob Dylan. Kenney played (and drank) with all of the greats as he enjoyed the wild excesses of the ’70s and ’80s.
I used to listen to [soul-jazz organist] Jimmy McGriff. Then, Booker T and the MGs with one of my favorite drummers, Al Jackson. He deserves every credit any drummer could ever have the credit for. He played slightly behind the beat. Just a natural. Al Jackson taught me that a drummer should know his place. In other words, you’re the backbone and you push the feel.
I never tried to copy Keith at all. It just came naturally to me.
But it wasn’t all hedonistic rock’n’roll partying, Kenney reveals the financial and legal troubles that continue to haunt the legacy of The Small Faces the sad and untimely deaths of the band’s members and the difficulties he faced in filling Keith Moon’s shoes in The Who. Kenney also reflects on his private life, his family, love of horses and an unexpected venture into polo and meetings with the Royal Family. He speaks openly about his diagnosis with cancer and his work to help raise awareness for prostate cancer.
Ronnie Lane... was... the kindest... and my best friend from the onset, y’know. We started this together. That being... he’s... he’s... I... I... I miss him every day. and John Entwistle. Oh, John. God, I miss John. I loved John. Apart from doing things together in Small Faces and The Who, like that Australian tour, we used to do sessions together. John and I used to hang out, especially once I’d joined him in The Who, just all the time. My old drinking partner. I learned to lip-read from John. He’d played his bass so loud and yet he’d talk so quietly, [laughs] I had to lipread him. I developed a really quick foot playing with John. All those triplets he’d do with his fingers, I had to do with my foot. I learned a lot from John.
Uniquely talented, Kenney has lived his life to the full and his memoir makes for a captivating read: a rich tale of how a young cockney Herbert came to be part of the biggest social transformation in living memory. The legacy created by him and his band mates has influenced the likes of Led Zeppelin, the Sex Pistols and Oasis.
Kenney Jones said: “This book has been a long time coming! I’m delighted to finally be penning my story.”
Although The Small Faces, Faces, The Who and The Law have been the four main bands in his life, Kenney has also been much sought-after during his career and has performed with some of the biggest names around. He has appeared on many albums including those by The Rolling Stones, Andy Fairweather Low, Joan Armatrading, Marsha Hunt, Mike Batt, Pete Townshend, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, David Essex, John Lodge and Wings.
Music continues to be the biggest role in Kenney’s life, outside of his family and the Hurtwood Polo Club. His current band, The Jones Gang, thrives with a fluid line-up, whilst he continues to play for other bands and looks after the Small Faces back catalogue. Kenney has also won an Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement award and has been inducted into the Rock‘n’Roll Hall of Fame twice.
