MovieChat Forums > Quincy Jones Discussion > Quincy Jones: The Beatles were "the wors...

Quincy Jones: The Beatles were "the worst musicians in the world" [and other shit]


https://www.avclub.com/quincy-jones-calls-the-beatles-no-playing-motherfucker-1822804301
http://www.vulture.com/2018/02/quincy-jones-in-conversation.html

In the interview, Jones, who clearly does not give a flying fuck at the age of 84, reveals such facts as:

Jones, a self-proclaimed “dog,” went out to dinner with Ivanka Trump about 10 years ago, an event he describes as a “date.” Whether she also thought as much is unclear. He expresses support for the #TimesUp movement, though, saying, “women had to put up with fucked-up shit” at the hands of “jive motherfuckers” like Harvey Weinstein. (He wouldn’t comment on Bill Cosby.) He adds, “women and brothers—we’re both dealing with the glass ceiling.”

Marlon Brando, a good friend of Jones’, may have had sex with Richard Pryor. Jones implies as much, at least, saying of Brando: “He was the most charming motherfucker you ever met. He’d fuck anything. Anything! He’d fuck a mailbox. James Baldwin. Richard Pryor. Marvin Gaye ... He did not give a fuck!”

Richard Pryor’s widow, Jennifer Lee, has confirmed to TMZ that Pryor did, in fact, hook up with Marlon Brando. She says Pryor was very open about his bisexuality in his personal life, and would find Jones’ comments about his sexual exploits hilarious. “It was the ‘70s! Drugs were still good, especially quaaludes,” she says. “If you did enough cocaine, you’d fuck a radiator and send it flowers in the morning.” So there you go.

But perhaps Jones’ harshest disses are about the Beatles, who he describes as “the worst musicians in the world.” To wit:

They were no-playing motherfuckers. Paul was the worst bass player I ever heard. And Ringo? Don’t even talk about it. I remember once we were in the studio with George Martin, and Ringo had taken three hours for a four-bar thing he was trying to fix on a song. He couldn’t get it. We said, “Mate, why don’t you get some lager and lime, some shepherd’s pie, and take an hour-and-a-half and relax a little bit.” So he did, and we called Ronnie Verrell, a jazz drummer. Ronnie came in for 15 minutes and tore it up. Ringo comes back and says, “George, can you play it back for me one more time?” So George did, and Ringo says, “That didn’t sound so bad.” And I said, “Yeah, motherfucker because it ain’t you.” Great guy, though.

reply

Paul has more talent in his little finger than Quincy Jones, but he could be right about Ringo, luckiest drummer alive!

reply

Quincy's fuckin talentless compared to Lennon-McCartney. What a cunt

reply

Well, at least he didn't start on George. The man was a true gem, who is sorely missed.

Quincy said they were bad musicians, he didn't say they weren't great artists. There's a difference. It's well known The Beatles couldn't read music, so I suppose it's fair to say that. The media have blown it out of proportion.

reply

Thanks for all the delicious gossip, Mr. Jones! If only more people of note would decide that now that they're old and most of their contemporaries are gone, there's no point in keeping their secrets. Nosy bitches me want to know!

And speaking of bitches, that's how his remarks about the Beatles come off. Jealous, are we? Sure, they weren't great technical musicians, but three of them were great songwriters (and the other was a "great guy") and very inventive in the studio, and they undoubtedly out-sold anything Jones did at the same time.

reply

Quincy > The Beatles

reply