DAVEY JONES , TRUE RED ,TRUE MANC

The sad news has come in that Openshaw born international popstar Davey Jones has died of a heart attack aged 66. Known as the lead singer with The Monkees , a band formed specifically for a teenage kids Tv show about a ‘beat group’. The Monkees went on to huge international success. davey Jones though at heart was a Mancunian through and through and most importantly , like fellow Mancunian popstars of the era like Peter Noone , he was a huge fan of manchester United. This interview was written and conducted by my big United Supporting mate Conrad Murray originally for United We Stand magazine back in 2004, Conrad no longer writes for that particular magazine , but he’s sort of busy managing The Courteeners, Paul Heaton and B.A.D oh and The Coral too. I knew Conrad would never amount to anything , bloody Stalybridge waster as for Davey , a bit bonkers but bubbling over with opinions about everything and love for his beloved United

SO DAVEY TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF

I was born in oOpenshaw and I moved to the USA in 1962 when I went over there to be in the musical Oliver. Before that I used to go to Old Trafford an awful lot. I’ve always been a huge United fan . I still watch them all the time on the television, sat there with my Manchester United scarf on. It’s kind of pathetic for a 58 year old man to do that kind of stuff – but I love United so much. I bought a signed ball in a charity auction when they won the European Cup in 1999 – all the names are on it. I have it at home

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO

I’m over here for a wedding at the moment – where I’m staying is 5 minutes walk from Accrington Stanley, they’ve just gone professional. Those players will now be getting £30-40,000 a year. Its a beautiful field where they play but there goes the local team once all the money starts coming in.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WENT TO UNITED

The last game I actually saw in person wasn’t a Man United game – it was the FA Cup final when Trevor Brooking scored with a header in the cup final at Wembley for West Ham. I’ve been to West Ham and I’ve never seen anything like it – kids creeping along on their hands and knees, these people don’t go to watch soccer – y’know , that’s terrible. These kids were throwing darts at the other fans and everyone knows what happens if you get hit by a dart. It was really terrible. When I first moved down south I used to go and watch Portsmouth and Southampton – but it just wasn’t the same – I’m a United fan.

WHAT’S THE SOCCER SCENE LIKE IN THE USA

Soccer is now huge in America – in the next four to twelve years it’ll be massive. We used to play in a park in LA – a little green in Beverly Hills – everyone would turn up – all the touring bands, Rod Stewart would always come over to play. I can play a bit and had a trial for manchester Boys when I was a kid. My uncle played for Denton Athletic and was a scout for a number of teams.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF FOOTBALL NOWADAYS ?

The game has completely changed – now its all about how much a player is earning or who he’s seeing. There’s been too much improvement – those new balls curve too much and the billboards turning round all the time is too distracting. Coming up you’ve got the World Cup qualifiers and its too soon, y’know its like racehorses , the players will get worn out. Scholesy retiring from all that is a smart move. He wants to go out at the top. Beckham won’t be in Spain long and when he comes back he’ll be three quarters the player he was because of all the wining and dining. Scholes has done the right thing, getting out now while he’s at the top of his game. My reading of the whole Scholes/ England thing is that it’s a smart move – obviously its’s great to play for your country but most footballers now are just lumberjacks – busy trying to chop people down. I loved Cantona – and he left sensibly, he went at the top of his game. I’ve always tried not to be controversial y’know , but I support Sven Goran Eriksson because his personal life has got fuck all to do with anyone else

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CURRENT BRITISH MUSIC SCENE?

I watched the Brit Awards and I thought it was such a load of crap. It was disgraceful in a way – they don’t show tits and arse like that on the telly in America. Robbie Williams can’t get arrested there but English music can still be great. I think Justin Timberlake and 50 Cent are great , but in general I agree with George harrison when he said ‘ the thing about rap is they forgot to stick a C at the start of the word’ – because that’s what it is – crap

DO YOU LIKE THE SMITHS ?

I love Morrissey, I love Blur , I love Robbie Williams but I was embarrassed watching the Brit Awards – it’s just bullshit – self indulgent ignorance. I remember when the guy from Pulp attacked Michael Jackson at the Brit Awards. Now everyone knows what Jackson is meant to have done but what the Pulp guy did was just rude and ignorant and I would have knocked his fucking head off. Where are Pulp now ? Nowhere, that’s where. These people have no idea about protocol – they are just ignorant pigs, well bring them on and I’ll knock their heads off. Y’know Oasis couldn’t break in America – they blew it through being ignorant. I like Oasis but they won’t be remembered like Sinatra, The Beatles or The Monkees.

DID YOU KNOW THAT UNITED FANS USED TO SING A LOVELY SONG ABOUT KEVIN KEEGAN TO THE TUNE OF DAYDREAM BELIEVER ?

I’d heard about that – I’d love to be there at Old Trafford to hear it. I’d love to come out on the pitch and sing that at the match. I’ll always be a United fan, got loads of the videos of oads of the games. I don’t have my rattle anymore but I still indoctrinate my grandchildren into it allShare This!