In defence of five artists Quincy Jones wasn’t a fan of
On November 4th, 2024, the musical world was shaken to its very core, as it was revealed that the legendary producer, Quincy Jones, had passed away.
The statement released by his family was short, but it cut straight to the point. “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” they wrote, “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
Throughout his life, Jones was responsible for bringing joy to millions with his exceptional songwriting and production skills. The work that he contributed towards with the likes of Thriller is unlike anything the world has seen since, and people often speak fondly of him. However… Just because Jones might be spoken of fondly doesn’t necessarily mean he always spoke well of others.
There were plenty of big musicians with lasting legacies that Jones spoke out against throughout his life, as he called a variety of artists talentless, thieves and cowards. Some critiques may be well placed, but others feel a little bit out of line. Here, we are going to look at five artists Jones was overly critical of and try to defend them.
Five artists Quincy Jones couldn’t stand:
U2
We could all use a friend like Quincy Jones. Despite the fact he and Bono were good friends, he also respected the U2 singer enough to let him know when his music wasn’t hitting the mark, something which he put down to the band putting too much pressure on themselves.
“I love Bono with all my heart, but there’s too much pressure on the band,” said Jones, “He’s doing work all over the world.”
There is no escaping the fact that U2 have a combination of both good and bad music. Some of what they have previously released is well and truly exciting, whereas some of their music falls short of the mark. This isn’t the result of pressure though, it’s just the band trying new things. While it might not always work, it has to be defended; otherwise, we’d never get exciting work.
The Beatles
Many bands and artists found themselves on the end of Quincy Jones’s sharp tongue, but some of the most famous victims have to be The Beatles. There have been plenty of instances where he has called out the Fab Four for being bad musicians, and never held back when it came to criticising them. Multiple times, he has called the band “Some of the worst musicians [he’d] ever heard,” a group of “No-playing motherfuckers,” and called Paul McCartney “The worst player I ever heard.”
It’s pretty difficult to defend the Beatles, as they’re not really a band that needs defending. While Jones might not have liked their playing style, regardless, it’s that playing style which has completely changed and revolutionised music forever. Even if Jones doesn’t like it, he has to appreciate it. Calling them “No-playing motherfuckers” is, to put it plainly, nonsense.
Jimi Hendrix
Jones wasn’t a big fan of Jimi Hendrix, seeming to suggest that he was an overrated guitarist and couldn’t play with some of the other musicians Jones surrounded himself. “He was supposed to play on my album, and he chickened out,” said Jones, “He was nervous to play with Toots Thielemans, Herbie Hancock, Hubert Laws, Roland Kirk – those are some scary motherfuckers. The cats on my records were the baddest cats in the world and Hendrix didn’t want to play with them.”
I’ll step in here. If Hendrix is so bad, why did you want him on your album, Quincy? No musician has ever made a mark on the industry in as short a time as Hendrix did and he has a legacy which continues to ring out today like the feedback he played around with during his career. There is no escaping his genius; whether Jones wants to admit it or not, he’ll always be one of the best guitarists in the world.
Michael Jackson
It might surprise a lot of people to see Michael Jackson’s name on the list, given that the two famously worked together and, in doing so, managed to create some of the most exciting pop music in recent years, such as the records Thriller and Off The Wall. However, Jones wasn’t a fan of Michael Jackson. He described him as a “Machiavellian,” and said he “Stole a lot of stuff.”
It’s hard to know what went on in the studio or what songs Jones is suggesting Jackson “stole,” however, regardless of that, the King of Pop certainly didn’t steal his unbelievable talent. His dancing and singing ability has gone down in history, and it’s this which separated him as a stand out pop icon ever since he was young. Jackson will have always found a way to be regarded as one of the very best, stolen songs or not.
Elvis Presley
When I first read that Jones wasn’t a fan of Elvis Presley, I was ready to step in. Elvis had a great voice, a great stage presence and will always be considered a huge voice in rock ‘n’ roll. However, then I saw what Jones’s complaints were, and while I’m not here to be the person who points out what’s true and what’s not, if Jones’s comments are correct, I would have to rescind my defence.
“I was writing for [orchestra leader] Tommy Dorsey, oh God, back then in the ’50s,” he said, “And Elvis came in, and Tommy said, ‘I don’t want to play with him.’ He was a racist mother — I’m going to shut up now.” Jones brings the truth down like the hammer of Thor here, and if what he is saying about experiences with Elvis are right, then I may have to go slightly against what the title suggests in this piece. Great singer, sure, but this is indefensible.
