Obituaries for 2016

[EasyAce]

An excellent tribute to Sir George Martin:

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/432547/george-martin-obituary-man-who-enabled-beatles
By Charles C.W. Cooke

For evidence that The Beatles would have been great without George Martin in tow, one need look no further than at the band’s first LP, Please Please Me, which was recorded in a single day with few of the producer’s magic touches added and which sparkles nevertheless. “One, two, three, FOUR,” Paul McCartney screams at the outset, and from that moment they are off. Listening fifty-three years later, one is struck by the energy exploding through the valves. This was a group that was always destined for glory.

But not, perhaps for the stratosphere. That would take collaboration, and, specifically, it would take George Martin. Paul McCartney was born a master craftsman with a perfectionist’s ear, and yet it is unlikely that he would have so effortlessly channeled the baroque without Martin there by his side. John Lennon’s foray into surrealism and magic was likely foreordained—the penchant for escapism that he exhibited in his early years tells us that much—and yet to make his trips down the rabbit hole sparkle and gleam he needed Martin’s technical adventurism and smorgasbord mind. When talking about The Beatles, “serendipity” is an overused word. But there really is none other that will suffice. If the fab four were Michelangelo, Martin was the paint. Presented with some of the finest songwriting in all of human history, he made it his life’s work to weaponize the recording studio in its favor. He was, in the modern parlance, an enabler.

And how. When, in 1966, John Lennon came to him with a half-written idea that revolved around a single chord and some lyrics cribbed from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the straight-laced Martin refused to be intimidated. Instead, he hired a Leslie Speaker, screwed around with some tape loops, and let the freak flag fly. The result, "Tomorrow Never Knows," is a watershed moment in musical history — the forward-looking foundation of so much that we now take for granted. Not bad for a middle-class stiff from Highbury!

In truth, there was little that fazed George Martin — except, that is, for the absence of quality. He remained sanguine through the high-as-a-kite melodia of Rubber Soul; happily navigated the drug-visions-and-circus-acts of Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, and Magical Mystery Tour; and joyfully curated the opera that is Abbey Road. With the White Album, however, he finally baulked — not at the turned-up-to-11 experimentation or the occasional outbreaks of crudity, but at what he perceived to be a shameful lack of self-respect. Whether one agrees with Martin’s view that that record should have been shorn of its weaker moments in favor of a more polished whole by the by; that it was this worry rather than the group’s trailblazing that pushed him over the edge tells us something important: He could tolerate anything but mediocrity. 

As Shakespeare left behind a vault of quotable nuggets within a library of fuller works, so Martin and the Beatles peppered the musical landscape with instantly recognizable moments: The crashing chord that opens "A Hard Day’s Night"; the heavenly close-harmonies of "Because"; the nightmarish din that closes "A Day in the Life"; the faux-harpsichord in the middle of "In My Life" — these are cultural fixtures to rival Hamlet’s Soliloquy. Together, John, Paul, George, Ringo, and George did work of the highest order — beautiful, thoughtful, painstakingly constructed work that will never be repeated or matched.

Lightning struck in 1963, and, being a sensible sort, George Martin put a microphone in front of it. Rest in peace, George. Now it’s time to say Goodnight.

[musiclady]

When I was fourteen years old and I heard "One, two, three, FOUR!" on my little turquoise transistor radio, I was enrapt with the beat and the sound, and the "ooh!!" and the whole beautiful picture.

Thank you, Sir George Martin, for helping create not only memories, but a legend.

[Free Vulcan]

Davy Jones of the Monkees Dead at Age 66

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20574693,00.html

Davy Jones, the lead singer of the Beatles-inspired made-for-TV pop group the Monkees, died Wednesday. He was 66.

The performer suffered a heart attack in Indiantown, Fla., where he resided, his publicist Helen Kensick tells the Associated Press.

"All of his family, friends and fans mourn Davy's loss," says Joseph Pacheco, Jones's manager and brother-in-law. "We were fortunate to have such an incredible human being in our lives. Sadly, his time on Earth was cut far too short and he will be missed tremendously by all who knew him."

The British-born Jones joined Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith in the TV show The Monkees about a pop band by the same name which ran from 1966 to 1968.



After the show was canceled, the group continued in various incarnations for years. The Monkees had several hits including "I'm a Believer" and "Last Train to Clarksville."

Early Wednesday morning, Jones "began to complain of not feeling well and having trouble breathing," the Martin County Sheriff's Office says in a statement.

Paramedics transported him to Martin Health System, where he was pronounced dead.

"At this time there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death," says the sheriff.

Jones's family says in a statement: "He passed next to his passions, his horses, and was one hour away from his wife, Jessica Pacheco-Jones."

Jones is survived by Jessica, three sisters, four daughters and three grandchildren.

Jones's death was first reported by TMZ.

-----

Wow. Talk about an icon, can remember listening to him on dad's 45's as a little little kid. Always seemed to be helluva nice guy.

[PzLdr]

Davy Jones of the Monkees Dead at Age 66

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20574693,00.html

Davy Jones, the lead singer of the Beatles-inspired made-for-TV pop group the Monkees, died Wednesday. He was 66.

The performer suffered a heart attack in Indiantown, Fla., where he resided, his publicist Helen Kensick tells the Associated Press.

"All of his family, friends and fans mourn Davy's loss," says Joseph Pacheco, Jones's manager and brother-in-law. "We were fortunate to have such an incredible human being in our lives. Sadly, his time on Earth was cut far too short and he will be missed tremendously by all who knew him."

The British-born Jones joined Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith in the TV show The Monkees about a pop band by the same name which ran from 1966 to 1968.



After the show was canceled, the group continued in various incarnations for years. The Monkees had several hits including "I'm a Believer" and "Last Train to Clarksville."

Early Wednesday morning, Jones "began to complain of not feeling well and having trouble breathing," the Martin County Sheriff's Office says in a statement.

Paramedics transported him to Martin Health System, where he was pronounced dead.

"At this time there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death," says the sheriff.

Jones's family says in a statement: "He passed next to his passions, his horses, and was one hour away from his wife, Jessica Pacheco-Jones."

Jones is survived by Jessica, three sisters, four daughters and three grandchildren.

Jones's death was first reported by TMZ.

-----

Wow. Talk about an icon, can remember listening to him on dad's 45's as a little little kid. Always seemed to be helluva nice guy.

Davy Jones died a few years ago. 2012?

[Free Vulcan]

Davy Jones died a few years ago. 2012?

Oh I'm going to give my ex-girlfriend hell. She posted the article on her FB page, I didn't look at the date.

Shows you how much I pay attention to the pop world. At least now I know he died  I guess!

[mountaineer]

Yes, he's been dead for quite a while. He and Francisco Franco.

[PzLdr]

Yes, he's been dead for quite a while. He and Francisco Franco.

Yeah, but they weren't in the same band.

[alicewonders]

When I was fourteen years old and I heard "One, two, three, FOUR!" on my little turquoise transistor radio, I was enrapt with the beat and the sound, and the "ooh!!" and the whole beautiful picture.

Thank you, Sir George Martin, for helping create not only memories, but a legend.

I had a turquoise transister radio too!  I would hang it over my bicycle bars and listen to music while I rode - good times!

RIP Sir George Martin.

[truth_seeker]

I had a turquoise transister radio too!  I would hang it over my bicycle bars and listen to music while I rode - good times!

RIP Sir George Martin.

I still have a little transistor radio, purchased at Radio Shack.

I imagine when it bites the dust, I will have to order a replacement online, at much higher price.

[A-Lert]

I still have a little transistor radio, purchased at Radio Shack.

I imagine when it bites the dust, I will have to order a replacement online, at much higher price.

Radio Shack was the place for the latest in technology in the day. I had a Realistic transistor radio encased in red leather.

[Wingnut]

Yes, he's been dead for quite a while. He and Francisco Franco.

Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still valiantly holding on in his fight to remain dead.

[musiclady]

I had a turquoise transister radio too!  I would hang it over my bicycle bars and listen to music while I rode - good times!

RIP Sir George Martin.

I hid mine under my pillow so I could listen to the radio (WHOT, Youngstown, OH!), after I was supposed to be sleeping.

I would knock on the wall to alert my sister when a song came on that we both liked, and she'd come over and listen with me.

"I Saw Her Standing There" was one of my very, very favorites!

Good memories!   ^-^   

[Paladin]

Not to upset Beatle's fans (what the hell, I will), I once saw their early efforts accurately described as sounding like a direct hit on a guitar factory.

[alicewonders]

I hid mine under my pillow so I could listen to the radio (WHOT, Youngstown, OH!), after I was supposed to be sleeping.

I would knock on the wall to alert my sister when a song came on that we both liked, and she'd come over and listen with me.

"I Saw Her Standing There" was one of my very, very favorites!

Good memories!   ^-^

That reminds me of a game my sister and I used to play when we were kids.  We had to share a bedroom, and in fact, we slept in the same bed.  We would sneak the radio in and put in under the pillows between us.  When a song came on - whose ever turn it was had to scratch the other one's back until the song ended.  The next song was the other sister's turn. 

That was the time when "Sky Pilot" was playing on the radio - don't know if you remember it, but it was a REALLY long song.  We used to pray that Sky Pilot would come on when it was OUR turn to get our back scratched!  So funny!

 

[Paladin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOs3uIEyHaY

Does this mean you have to scratch my back?

[A-Lert]

I hid mine under my pillow so I could listen to the radio (WHOT, Youngstown, OH!), after I was supposed to be sleeping.

I would knock on the wall to alert my sister when a song came on that we both liked, and she'd come over and listen with me.

"I Saw Her Standing There" was one of my very, very favorites!

Good memories!   ^-^

We pulled the covers over our heads and listened to WLS, Chicago,  KOMA, Oklahoma City and KAAY in Little Rock, all 50,000 watt clear channel after midnight CST.  When KAAY first came on the airwaves they played the Baby Elephant Walk for 24 hours. I didn't listen for 24 hours, but I've never been able to get that song out of my head, or Jimmie Jones Good Timing

[musiclady]

That reminds me of a game my sister and I used to play when we were kids.  We had to share a bedroom, and in fact, we slept in the same bed.  We would sneak the radio in and put in under the pillows between us.  When a song came on - whose ever turn it was had to scratch the other one's back until the song ended.  The next song was the other sister's turn. 

That was the time when "Sky Pilot" was playing on the radio - don't know if you remember it, but it was a REALLY long song.  We used to pray that Sky Pilot would come on when it was OUR turn to get our back scratched!  So funny!

 

I LOVE that memory!  Wish my sister and I would have thought of that game! 

I had an older sister and a younger sister and I traded back and forth between their rooms (I can't remember if it was because I was so popular or so unpopular............most likely the latter. ;*)  The transistor radio time was when I was in our younger sister's room, and I'd have our older sister come and listen.

(That would have been a great game a decade later when Bohemian Rhapsody was popular.  But we were both a bit old for that kind of thing in our twenties!)

[Wingnut]

(That would have been a great game a decade later when Bohemian Rhapsody was popular.  But we were both a bit old for that kind of thing in our twenties!)

[musiclady]

We pulled the covers over our heads and listened to WLS, Chicago,  KOMA, Oklahoma City and KAAY in Little Rock, all 50,000 watt clear channel after midnight CST.  When KAAY first came on the airwaves they played the Baby Elephant Walk for 24 hours. I didn't listen for 24 hours, but I've never been able to get that song out of my head, or Jimmie Jones Good Timing

We could get WLS in NE Ohio on a clear night,  and WLW from Cincinnati and KDKA, Pittsburgh.  I was always proud that the first radio station in the country was one I could listen to.

[mountaineer]

I kept a transistor radio under my pillow to listen to Pirates games.  ^-^

[alicewonders]

I LOVE that memory!  Wish my sister and I would have thought of that game! 

I had an older sister and a younger sister and I traded back and forth between their rooms (I can't remember if it was because I was so popular or so unpopular............most likely the latter. ;*)  The transistor radio time was when I was in our younger sister's room, and I'd have our older sister come and listen.

(That would have been a great game a decade later when Bohemian Rhapsody was popular.  But we were both a bit old for that kind of thing in our twenties!)

Yes!  Or Stairway to Heaven! 

As an aside - they probably shuttled you back and forth between bedrooms because you were the middle child.  My sister swears that she (as the middle child) got the short end of the stick for everything!

She has no idea the burden of being the oldest - being the experimental child because your parents don't have a clue what they're doing.   ^-^

[musiclady]

I kept a transistor radio under my pillow to listen to Pirates games.  ^-^

The Bucs are going all the way............ and Bill Mazeroski did it. 

(I actually remember that because my big bro was a Pirates fan that year.  No conflict because the Indians weren't in the same league).

[musiclady]

Yes!  Or Stairway to Heaven! 

As an aside - they probably shuttled you back and forth between bedrooms because you were the middle child.  My sister swears that she (as the middle child) got the short end of the stick for everything!

She has no idea the burden of being the oldest - being the experimental child because your parents don't have a clue what they're doing.   ^-^

I grew up with all the middle child woes.  No identity whatsoever....... so I had to make a place for myself by losing my temper and hitting people.

But yes, the poor oldest child suffers much, with greater rules and responsibilities and less experienced parents.  Unfortunately, all the practice in the world didn't prepare my parents for me!

[Sanguine]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NF--bHavJs

[PzLdr]

I kept a transistor radio under my pillow to listen to Pirates games.  ^-^

Took one to school every World Series the Yankees were in [which meant all but 2 from 1951-1964]. Teacher would let us listen and report updates.