Rock promoter Maurice Jones, perhaps best known for establishing the Monsters Of Rock festival at Donington, and as co-promoter of the original Live Aid event, has died aged 64.
Jones began dabbling in music in his late teens while undertaking an apprenticeship at an engineering company in Wolverhampton. He managed an act called The N Betweens, who went on to become Slade, and subsequently joined the Wolverhampton-based Astra Agency as a booker, going on to book all sorts of rock bands to play the city's Club Lafayette venue.
In the late seventies, he launched his own live music business, Midland Concert Promotions, through which he promoted a variety of bands, from ACDC and Def Leppard to Simply Red, Eurythmics, UB40, Simple Minds and, later, Oasis. It was through MCP that he created the Monsters Of Rock festivals and expanded his involvement with the Donington site.
Jones retired from MCP in 1997. He is survived by his wife Diana, and daughters Kristy and Nicola.