Kenney Jones

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kenney Jones was invited to join the Who in November 1978 by guitarist Pete Townshend and manager Bill Curbishley. The invitation came partly because the band had been friendly with him since his Small Faces days, and because he and Keith Moon were friends—they were together on the last night of Moon's life in 1978, as part of a viewing party put together by Paul McCartney for The Buddy Holly Story. Jones had also played with Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle on the Tommy soundtrack. He played on the albums Face Dances and It's Hard, and on the soundtrack for Daltrey's film McVicar. Jones toured with the Who from 1979 to 1982 and played with them at Live Aid in 1985. His final appearance as a regular member was when the group received a lifetime achievement award at the 1988 British Phonographic Industry awards ceremony. Jones was frequently at odds with Daltrey, who felt that Jones's drumming style—usually straighter and less frenetic than Moon's—was not a good match with the band. Daltrey stated: 'I'm not saying he's a bad drummer. I'm not saying he's a bad guy. I didn't dislike the guy, but I just felt he wasn't the right drummer for the Who. It's like having a wheel off a Cadillac stuck onto a Rolls Royce. It's a great wheel but it's the wrong one.' Jones was replaced by Simon Phillips for the Who's 1989 reunion tour. In an April 2011 special edition of Uncut magazine, Townshend said that Jones was a good choice for the band. Jones reunited with the Who on 14 June 2014 at the Rock n Horsepower benefit concert held at his Hurtwood Polo Club. The band performed for an event set up by Jones to benefit Prostate Cancer UK. It was the first time he had appeared onstage with Townshend and Daltrey since 1988.

In Their Own Story

The call came in November 1978. Pete Townshend and manager Bill Curbishley asked Kenney Jones to join the Who, replacing Keith Moon, who had died of a drug overdose in September. Jones and Moon had been friends—they were together on the last night of Moon's life, at a viewing party Paul McCartney had put together for The Buddy Holly Story. Jones had already played with Townshend, Daltrey and Entwistle on the Tommy soundtrack, so the musical connection was there. He stepped into the drum seat and played on Face Dances and It's Hard, and on the soundtrack for Daltrey's film McVicar. He toured with the band from 1979 to 1982, and played Live Aid in 1985. But the fit was never perfect. Roger Daltrey felt Jones's drumming style—straighter, less frenetic than Moon's—wasn't right for the Who. 'It's like having a wheel off a Cadillac stuck onto a Rolls Royce,' Daltrey said. 'It's a great wheel but it's the wrong one.' Jones's final appearance as a regular member came at the 1988 British Phonographic Industry awards, where the Who received a lifetime achievement award. He was replaced by Simon Phillips for the 1989 reunion tour. But years later, on 14 June 2014, Jones reunited with the Who at the Rock n Horsepower benefit concert at his own Hurtwood Polo Club. The band played for an event he set up to benefit Prostate Cancer UK—the disease he himself had been diagnosed with in September 2013. It was the first time he had shared a stage with Townshend and Daltrey since 1988.

Reader's Guide

Joining the Who: Kenney Jones joined the Who in November 1978, invited by Pete Townshend and manager Bill Curbishley after Keith Moon's death. He was chosen partly because of his friendship with Moon—they were together on the last night of Moon's life—and because he had played with the band on the Tommy soundtrack. He toured with the band from 1979 to 1982, and performed with them at Live Aid in 1985. Final Regular Appearance: Jones's last show as a regular member of the Who was at the 1988 British Phonographic Industry awards ceremony, where the band received a lifetime achievement award. Drumming Style and Band Dynamics: Jones's playing was straighter and less frenetic than Keith Moon's. Roger Daltrey felt this style was not a good match for the Who, though he denied any personal animosity. Pete Townshend, in a 2011 Uncut magazine interview, said Jones was a good choice for the band. Reunion: On 14 June 2014, Jones reunited with the Who at the Rock n Horsepower benefit concert at his Hurtwood Polo Club. The event was set up by Jones to benefit Prostate Cancer UK. It was his first time onstage with Townshend and Daltrey since 1988.

Did You Know?

• Kenney Jones and Keith Moon were together on the last night of Moon's life in 1978, at a viewing party Paul McCartney put together for The Buddy Holly Story.
• Jones was invited to join the Who in part because he had already played with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle on the Tommy soundtrack.
• Jones's final appearance as a regular member of the Who was at the 1988 British Phonographic Industry awards ceremony, where the band received a lifetime achievement award.
• Jones reunited with the Who on 14 June 2014 at a benefit concert for Prostate Cancer UK, an organization that promotes awareness of the disease that Jones has.
• After leaving the Who, Jones co-founded a band called the Law with singer Paul Rodgers in 1991.