Clive Jones

Clive Jones, biography

1949.05.28

Born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England.

Clive Jones "As a saxofonist I was influenced by many styles... jazz, blues... well, maybe... but my favorite guy is Junior Walker on the Motown label... What a great player and the king of Squeaks." (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

Clive Jones: "Bands I've admired... well, I guess Arthur Brown who I speak to. We were going to record together with Standarte from Italy, but it has never happened so far... King Crimson made a big impression on me... for the present... Death SS from Italy, who are based on Black Widow and who I've recently recorded with will be huge if given the right chance, but then I love Dionne Warwick/ Dusty Springfield... So I guess my influences are very varied. I think it's important to be influenced by many different styles... From the 60s Phil Spector and the wall of sound / Ronettes / Crystals / Ike, Tina Turner / Darlene Love, gave me great ideas for songs and they were the start of really heavy music..." (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

1964

Jones: "Crown Hills was my school I left in 1964 when A Hard Day's Night was #1 in the UK charts. I was not so bright at school but always won the music prize, but music was looked upon as a lesser subject then. Crown Hills is in Leicester." (conversation with rock.w3h.net)

1965 - 1969.09

Pesky Gee!

1965	The band Pesky Gee! was formed around 1965 / 66 in Leicester. The name was taken from the title of the song from another local group. The music was orientated on soul. From the very beginning the line-up was the following: Kay Garret (vocal), Kip Trevor (vocal, guitar, harp), Chris Dredge (guitar), Clive Jones (sax, flute), Bob Bond (bass guitar), Clive Box (drums), Jess "Zoot" Taylor (keyboards). Clive Jones: "The name Pesky Gee! does come from a song but not by us. Zoot and Jim came from a band called Broodly Hoo and Pesky Gee was an instrumental they played. I never heard it. The agency we used at the time chose the name. We didnt like it really but after a few weeks we fell in love with it." (conversation with rock.w3h.net) Clive Jones: "The name Pesky Gee! always had an Exclamation Mark at the end of it. We were always keen to make sure it was added to the end of our name. I don't know another band that has a ! at the end of their name." (conversation with rock.w3h.net) Clive Jones: "Pesky Gee! started out as a soul band in about 1966. We regularly played at Leicester club called The Nite Owl every Saturday with top soul acts from all over the Country. I remember we once played there with Mary Wells, the Temptations, and even the Syn later to be part of the rock band Yes. It was great fun we all got on so well, it was a time when so many bands were travelling up and down the motorways and a time when only people in bands had long hair so it was very easy to spot a musician." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini). Their road manager from the beginning was Mike Double, who later cooperated with The Who and with Eric Clapton.
1966.summer	The band did a lot of gigs and improved their skills. They were famous locally after one concert when they had an offer to play with Chris Farlowe in summer 1966. Clive Jones: "I think one big thing that happened was in 1966. We were suporting Chris Farlowe and The Tthunderbirds. They were #1 in the UK with Out Of Time. We played our set to a packed house, Chris turned up later and half his band were missing. He asked if we could help out (in those days we all played the same numbers). Chris sang our songs, things like In The Midnight Hour, Hold On I'm Coming, but when it came to playing his #1 song we did not know it but we played it. It must of been the worst version ever but of course it went down a storm. The great thing was the members of his band that turned up were Carl Palmer/and Albert Lee so I played with those great musicians (lol)." (conversation with rock.w3h.net)
1967	Jones: "Pesky Gee! was wonderful memories and such fun. I remember I was in hospital in 1967 and could not play with the band. It was awful to lie in a hospital bed and know the rest of the band were out giggin' " (conversation with rock.w3h.net)
1968.06.02 - 03	In June of 1968 the band had a date at The Barn Barbeque Concert and Barn Dance w Whittlesey, near Peterborough. They met many known or later-known performers like Donovan, John Mayall, Fairport Convention, Blossom Toes, Fleetwood Mac, The Move, Amen Corner. Pesky Gee! also tried to change their musical style to more progressive under influences of trends in British rock music.
1969.beginning	At the beginning of 1969 the group was signed to Pye Records. Clive Jones: "Pesky Gee! were discovered in Warrington by a songwriter called Malcolm Rabbit. He wrote for us the song A Place Of Heartbreak and we learnt it the day we met him. He then also introduced us to our then manager Pat Meehan who had managed many 60s bands, Animals, Herd, Small Faces, Nashville Teens. Malcolm was very dissapointed to learn the song was to be our b side. Part of his song was a jingle and played for many years on the radio. Where Is My Mind also was used as a jingle and played every Saturday for many years on a kids program (lol)." (conversation with rock.w3h.net) Clive Jones: "Pesky Gee! were discovered in the town of Warrington by a songwriter called Malcolm Rabbit who had written a song for a group called the Curiosity Shoppe, that had just been released. He came to our gig and loved the band, so the next day he turned up with the song A Place Of Heartbreak. Malcolm also had a London manager, Patrick Meehan, whom he introduced us to. Meehan signed the band up and put us in the recording studio: we recorded a whole album in 4 hours! They took the Vanilla Fudge song "Where Is My Mind" to be our first single, much to Malcolm Rabbits disappointment "Heartbreak" was to be the B side." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini) In December of 2005 the WA2 Music released the album Weston Rabbitt - A Slice Of Psychedelia, which contains 12 songs by John Weston and Malcolm Rabbitt including A Place Of Heartbreak recorded by Pesky Gee! Some more information about Malcolm Rabbit at http://www.wa2-music.co.uk/index.htm
1969.03.05	First and only Pesky Gee!'s date at the prestigiuos De Montfort Hall in native Leicester. Clive Jones: "Well, we only played De Montfort Hall the once. It was the place to play in Leics. All the BIG bands played there. I even saw the Beatles there. I remember the gig. Top of the bill was a band called Timebox. They had a hit with an old 4 Seasons song called Beggin'. I believe the leader was a respected guy called Mike Patto who has since passed away. They were great but I think the place was half empty??? He since went on the form the band Patto." (conversation with rock.w3h.net).
1969.03	The first and only SP Where Is My Mind / A Place of Heartbreak was released. Side A is a cover of Vanilla Fudge and side B is already mentioned song of Malcolm Rabbit. SP missed charts. During the recording sessions the band was supported on woodwinds by Alan Hornsby. Clive Jones: "Our single Where Is My Mind is a Mark Stein song (Vanilla Fudge). A few months ago [ 2004] I got in touch with Mark and sent him a copy. He had never heard our version. He loved it and we have now become friends." (conversation with rock.w3h.net). Just around this period of time Chris Dredge left the group. He was replaced by Jim Gannon (guitar, vocal, vibe).
1969.spring	In the spring of 1969 Pesky Gee! were recorded their first and the last album just in one day (4 hours). It is called Exclamation Mark. Clive Jones: "The Pesky Gee! album was recorded in about 4 hours. We were recording in Pye studio. The engineer was Gus Dudgeon who died last year [2003]. I think we were in the studio when no one knew we were there, it was done very quickly and the album had many mistakes that we were never allowed to correct. However many people like the album and it's a great memory for the band at the time we were changing from a soul band to prog rock." (conversation with rock.w3h.net)
1969.06	In 1969, June, they released their album Exclamation Mark. No reaction from the market. Pye Records refused to continue the cooperation. The music from the album was on the edge of progressive rock, dominated by Hammond organ and both vocalists. All the tracks are covers, for example Season Of The Witch (Donovan), Where Is My Mind (Vanilla Fudge), Piece Of My Heart (Janis Joplin), Dharma For One (Jethro Tull), Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf). The critics saw a good rhythm section and even better woodwinds arrangements. Produced by Patrick Meehan Jnr. The cover design by Paul Bevoir. The album was reissued on CD in 2001. Clive Jones: "A funny story is that when our label Pye were to issue the album, the manager called to tell them not to miss the exclamation mark at the end of our name, but they completely got it wrong, missed it off and called the album Exclamation Mark! When the CD was reissued by Sanctuary Records they promised me they would put the ! back on the name. I'm pleased to say they kept their word." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini) Clive Jones: "The girl on the Pesky Album is Kay Garret who was also in the early Black Widow. She is an amazing vocalist and a great person. She left to get married. I hope to record with Kay again one day." (conversation with rock.w3h.net)

Pesky Gee!
From left to right:
Clive Jones, Kip Trevor, Zoot Taylor, Clive Box, Kay Garret, Jim Gannon, Bob Bond.
It is also the very first line-up of Black Widow.

1969.09 - 1973.spring

Black Widow

Click and read about Black Widow (in English).

1974 - 75

Clive Jones: "I had 2 years off always meaning to join another band but not really trying too hard." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini)

1976.beginning - 1980.11

Agony Bag

Two ex-members of Pesky Gee! and then Black Widow decided to try the stage again. Clive Jones i Clive 'Bok' Box formed the band Agony Bag. The rest of the line-up was as follows: Bruce Cluley (guitar) and Geoff Beaven (bass). Because of exciting and dynamic performances they soon became an attraction in Leicester. They say their dates were never dull. The image of Agony Bag was extended with costumes and maquiage.

Jones: "I started the original Agony Bag with Clive Box from Black Widow. It enabled me to take over the lead vocals and front the band, plus write in my own style of music." (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

Jones: "I had just played sax/flute in Black Widow but I really wanted to be the lead singer. I was always good as a front man so this was my chance. Then I saw Bruce playing when I went for an audition and knew he was right for Agony Bag. Clive and myself wanted Agony Bag to be a really wild live show, after Black Widow it had to be something great." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini).

Jones: "Agony Bag come out before punk became popular. It wasn't till later that we realized it was the same sort of thing we were playing... as it seems we were always doing it. I guess it was the aggression in the songs and on the stage that fitted with the punk style, but I have to say to this day there has never been a band like Agony Bag... while the Sex Pistols were making headlines for swearing on the tv, Agony Bag was having sex on stage with girls and boys. It makes me laugh when I see guys like Eminem pretending to use chain saws on stage: if that had been Agony Bag there would of been plenty of real blood for sure (mine probably). We were four people that were very different to each other but when we came together it was dynamite." (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

Jones: "Clive Box and myself choose the name. In the UK there was an advert with this bag of sugar being punched in the stomach. It sort of came from that." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini).

In 1978 they were caught by Mark Pollard who agreed to be their manager. The band added two female dancers to the show, improved the light system and expanded road crew which let them think about tours. They started European tour and won the fame in Germany, where they started to record their first songs in the studio in April of 1979. They recorded two songs Rabies is a Killer and Never Never Land with the intent to release them as single play. Some of vocal parts were sung in German language. The band did a lot of gigs in Europe and Britain until the end of 1979. At the beginnings of 1980 they were signed to Monza Records and on March 7th, 1980 the SP was released containing both tracks. On this occasion the band gave a performance in Leicester where they hadn't played for a year. Side A was covered by two other groups Taxi and Italian band Death SS. In October after internal disagreements Bruce left Agony Bag and the same did Geoff the next month. The effort to continue after adding Ian Watts (guitar) and Mick Wright (bass) did nothing. On 29th of October Clive Jones, the leader, decided to leave and that was the end.

Jones: "We did do a live radio show once and were asked to cover up as it was in front of a live audience, but no chance of that. Agony Bag did what we did and would not change for anyone. I'm sure we were the first and only band to have sex on stage, but strangely, no-one ever tried to stop us doing that, and it was not always with girls! We used to advertise the shows by walking through the streets in our costumes. This was great fun!" (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini).

Jones: "We did some wonderful shows. Agony Bag did many strange things on stage. I always seemed to come off covered in blood, usually because I had been sliding across the floor with bare knees but after a while I had the hardest knees in the bizz (laughs). If the readers don't know we had girls, the Bagettes, in the band who were topless at the end of the show (Sue & Maggie). It was always difficult to have sex with Sue and suck cock at the same time but I always seemed to manage it." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini).

Jones: "...they [Bruce i Geoff] were with other bands but nothing special. Bruce now plays with DPM, Geoff plays for Deisel Park West who have had a few UK chart hits. Unfortunately Geoff has throat cancer, but he is still looking good at the moment, after many operations. He is also helping me on the "Metal Heart" project." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini)..

After Agony Bag broke up, Clive Jones became Dr. Pesky and performed one man show. Clive Box tried to work on musical.

Jones: "Mark Pollard was the manager of Agony Bag. He used to work on the early James Bond films and was voice coach to Shawn Connery. He now lives in France. It's also his voice you hear doing the intro [of Theme for Abingdonia, CD Come to the Sabbat: Anthology]. Mark helped out with the words for that piece." (conversation with rock.w3h.net).

80s

Clive Jones: "Dr. Pesky... Well this is my solo show. I don't talk much about him. Yes, it's comedy but a very strange show. Believe me you don't want to meet Dr Pesky. I'm often banned from places I play and that's what I love about him. A crazy guy. He does things on stage that put the Sex Pistols to shame and all in front of your mum as I've said before. I've never done what you may call a straight act yet where I just go on stage and sing. If I'm not shocking people I'm bored. The Dr has rather gone into retirement mainly because he's banned from everywhere. I just do him at selected shows now." (conversation with rock.w3h.net).

1991 - 1996

Dirty Duvet

Bruce Cluley (guitar) formed the band Dirty Duvet in Leicester. The line-up was as follows: Davey Dynamo (vocal), Dr Pesky (sax, flute, vocal), Hovis (drums), Addy (bass).

Jones: "We had the perfect blend of sax and rock. It's not so easy to do but it worked for us." (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

Jones: "Dirty Duvet was a great band. In the 6 years we were together we only had only one personal change. We did our own songs plus strange covers of other songs but the band were great fun wearing bright costumes sometimes with hardly anything on. I was asked to join by Bruce from Agony Bag. I was 1 of 2 front singers and we worked together very well. We also recorded a tape of 5 songs that was released locally and at gigs. In Dirty Duvet I played Dr Pesky. We only split because the singer Dave was going to move to South Africa. He has lived in many parts of the world and I'm sure he will one day end up as Prime Minister for the UK, he is so clever. DD would play clubs and pubs, we had a huge following, we did play the famous Savoy Hotel in London and caused a riot because of our lack of clothes while waiting to order our drinks. All these MPs were asking us who we were. When I look back I don't think I've ever been in what you would call a straight band. There has always been something a bit different about them ha ha." (conversation with rock.w3h.net).

After Dirty Duvet broke up, Bruce Cluley played in DPM. He also started his business career.

2001.06

CD album Feelmazumba was released by Italian label Black Widow Records. It contains tracks of Agony Bag. Clive Jones sings and plays sax and flute. The music is crossing punk-rock, glam-rock, psychodelic rock, hard-rock and everything which was played in 70s. Sometimes one can feel the sound of progressive Black Widow. There are also some modern synthesizer arrangements.

Jones: "The Feelamazumba album was a collection of songs that apart from Rabies is a Killer had never been heard before. I have always tried to write about different subjects to other artists, Feemazumba was made up of demo's and with a collection of musicians from other bands that I have worked in." (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

Jones: "Rabies Is A Killer has also been covered by another band from Italy, Taxi. They will also be covering another one of my songs on their next CD. Rabies came about when we used to travel to Germany and there were always posters on the ferry saying 'Rabies is a killer = beware'. I always tried to pick different subjects to other bands to write about. Nursery Crimes is a play on nursery rhymes. I just changed the lyrics to make them nasty. White Stick is of course about a blind man. I Can is about things you can't do, and Golden Shower Passer is about the sexual practice of pissing on each other. All good family fun stuff." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini).

2001

In 2001 Italian band Abiogenesi released Le Notti Di Salem CD. Clive Jones played as a guest. Besides him Tony D'Urso (guitar), Gigi Venegoni, Marco Cimino.

2004

Jones: "Yes, I have reformed Agony Bag but only for the studio for now it's with German musicians that were fans of the band. When we first went over there led by Stephan Bender he asked me if i would come over to Germany and go back in the studio to record old and new songs. The results are amazing but it's very difficult when we are all in different countries so the album Piss Out Your Trash is taking a long time but I hope we can finish it this year and maybe do a tour." (conversation with rock.w3h.net).

Jones: "I hope to do a new Black Widow album in the future, back to the black magic, back to how the second album should have really been. This time with great vocals... I've been working with Geoff from Black Widow for a few months and it's something we have been talking about doing... Kay Garrett has expressed an interest also and I would love to work with Kay again... so who knows at the moment what I might do? I might go in a different direction altogether, but whatever it is it will be fun / different / strange, Dr Pesky / Black Widow / Agony Bag... Wait and see!" (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

2004.06

Clive started to record his first tracks for new rock musical titled Metal Heart.

Jones: "With Metal Heart I will be combining good pop with heavy metal and progressive rock. It's just a fun project a bit like the Rocky Horror show, I'm even thinking of using Black Widow in the project plus friends like Death SS from Italy. There is also a part for my Dr Pesky character... just because I come from a progressive band does not mean I have to stay with that music... I learnt many years ago that I could write in many styles I was brought up on 60s pop music, moved to soul and then heavy metal. Now I like most types... it would be very shallow to only stick to one type of music all my life." (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

Jones: "Kip I'm now in touch with again after 35 years. He does not really sing professionally anymore but has his own publishing company. I might be working again with Kip on the "Metal Heart" musical project. Kip has lived in London for many years he has been married twice and I think has a son and daughter." (www.therockexplosion.com, interview hosted by Andrea Zazzarini).

2004.07

Jones: "Dr Pesky is a one man show like you have never seen before. He has his first release this year on an album to be released in Canada, a song I wrote a few years ago called Magic storybook... let's hope the Canadians never sit down and listen to the song in detail or they will never release it! I wonder how you heard about this part of my music as I keep it very secret... I guess it's crazy pop music. You think it's a cross between Kiss and Alex Harvey? No, that's more like Agony Bag. Dr Pesky is more like Lily Savage and Margaret Thatcher on speed..." (Clive Jones' interview for Giovanni Carta, http://www.drivemagazine.net/musicaspe/jones.html).

2005.07.30

Still together after so many years. The meeting of good friends from Pesky Gee! / Black Widow. Kay Garret will take part in Clive's musical titled Metal Heart.

Pesky Gee! / Black Widow AD 2005

(from left to right):

Clive Jones, Kay Garret, Bob Bond

Photo by courtesy of Clive Jones

2005.10.08

Black Sabbath Tribute is proud to announce the planned appearance of Cult Rock Legend Clive Jones (Black Widow / Agony Bag) at our gig with Classic Rock Event in Pumpehuset, Copenhagen - Denmark on October the 8. 2005.

Classic Rock Event comprises three of Copenhagens finest Hard-Rock-cover-bands - Zeppelin Experience, Black Sabbath Tribute and Deep Purple Jam. These are bands to be reckoned with, now well into the 2. season of sell-out Classic Rock Events, in the major cities of Denmark. Presently about to go on the road for a new string of dates, Classic Rock Event offers a unique experience, and three extremely entertaining bands.

For the gig in Pumpehuset; Black Sabbath Tribute now announces the appearance of Clive Jones, as a very special guest. 'Clive and Black Widow were part of the scene that became Heavy Rock as we know it today' says Jan Weincke, Guitarist in Black Sabbath Tribute. 'Black Sabbath and Black Widow we're somehow connected in the early days, mainly due to their use of horror-themes and the similarity in their names. (A fact that Black Sabbath will confirm) Together they were part of something that's still alive and growing today, and that's the legacy we're celebrating with our Black Sabbath Tribute. Clive being a good friend and mentor, we're proud to have him on stage with us. We're cooking up something very special for that occasion!'

Come To The Sabbath!

Black Sabbath Tribute. By courtesy of Jan Weincke and Clive Jones.

Clive Jones: "First of all Denmark was fantastic. The best 5 days of my life. I was met by the Black Sabbath Tribute band. Great guys all hard working and good musicians. We went straight to the recording studio and worked on the show. I was to make my entrance playing flute on Planet Caravan. I wore all the old B/W clothes cloaks the works, when Kim the lead singer introduced me. I could not believe the applause. Everyone stood and cheered. I then came on at the end to sing Paranoid with Kim. Everyone was storming the stage. Just one of the best nights of my life. We all agreed we must do it again. The next day was straight into the studio. We recorded the most beautiful version of Planet Caravan with flute plus Paranoid but that was just for fun. The band are also called Bio-Mechanics when they do original stuff. They heard one of my songs for the musical Metal Heart a song called Devils Man Down and wanted to record it. They were brilliant. It's one of the best things I've ever done. Kim took lead vocals and the whole thing was a great experience. Jan the guitarist is a fantastic musician and arranged the song. I've now decided I want Bio-Mechs to do all the rock songs in the musical and for Kim who is really an actor to play the part of the rock star early days yet but let's see what happens. Bio-Mechanics is a band to watch out for they write great songs and have never had anything released so far. I predict they will be a huge success. On the show there were other tribute bands Zeppelin Experience and Deep Purple Jam, both great bands playing true copies of their heroes. Black Sabbath tribute started their set with a live message from Bill Ward that I had asked Bill to do for me. It was incredible that he did this especially for me and I thank him very much for that the crowd were amazed here. It was their hero speaking to them. A great night for my life will never be the same." (conversation with rock.w3h.net).

Clive Jones' new projects are available at http://www.smackmanagement.com