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{{for|the Killswitch Engage vocalist|Howard Jones (American musician)}}
{{Distinguish|Howard Jones (American singer)}}{{Short description|Welsh musician, singer and songwriter}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
|Img = Howard Jones - 7-10-08.jpg
| image = Howard Jones 2021 (376).jpg
|Name = Howard Jones
| image_size =
||Img_capt = Howard Jones, 2008
| name = Howard Jones
| caption = Jones performing live at Let's Rock Liverpool on 31 July 2021
|Img_size =
| background = solo_singer
|Background = solo_singer and ex radio 1 DJ
|Birth_name = John Howard Jones
| birth_name = John Howard Jones
|Alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|2|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Southampton]], [[Hampshire]], England
|Born = {{Birth date and age|1955|2|23|df=y}}
|Died =
| origin =
|Origin = [[Southampton]], Hampshire, England
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [[Synth-pop]]<ref name="AMG"/>
|Instrument = Keyboards, synthesizer, vocals, drums, lead vocals, piano
* [[new wave music|new wave]]<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Ira |last= Robbins |title= Howard Jones |magazine= [[Trouser Press]] |url= http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=howard_jones |access-date= 28 August 2016}}</ref>
|Genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Rock music|rock]], [[New Wave music|new wave]], [[synthpop]], [[dance-pop]]
|Occupation = musician, singer, songwriter
|Years_active = 1982–present
|Label = [[Elektra Records|Elektra]], [[Warner Bros. Records|WEA]], [[East West Records|East West]]
|Associated_acts =
|URL = [http://www.howardjones.com/ Official website]
|Current_members =
|Past_members =
|Notable_instruments = [[Moog Prodigy]]</br>[[Roland Jupiter-8]]
}}
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Musician
* singer
* songwriter
}}
| instrument = {{flatlist|
* Vocals
* keyboards
* drums
}}
| years_active = 1982–present
| label = {{flatlist|
* [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
* [[East West Records|East West]]
}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.howardjones.com/}}
}}

'''John Howard Jones''' (born 23 February 1955)<ref name="AMG">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/howard-jones-mn0000228099/biography|title=Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=14 May 2009}}</ref> is a Welsh musician, singer and songwriter. He had ten top 40 hit singles in the UK between 1983 and 1986, six of which reached the top ten, including "[[Like to Get to Know You Well]]" , "[[What Is Love? (Howard Jones song)|What Is Love?]]", "[[New Song (Howard Jones song)|New Song]]", and "[[Things Can Only Get Better (Howard Jones song)|Things Can Only Get Better]]". His 1984 album ''[[Human's Lib]]'' reached number one on the [[List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 1980s|UK Albums Chart]]. Around the world, Jones had 15 top 40 hit singles between 1983 and 1992. The 1986 hit single "[[No One Is to Blame]]" reached No. 4 on the US charts. Four others placed in the US top 20.


Jones is associated with the 1980s [[Second British Invasion]] of the US.<ref>{{cite news|first= Roger |last= Kaye |title= Culture Club, Duran Duran, Police lead second invasion |newspaper= [[Pittsburgh Press]] |date= 31 October 1984 |access-date= 25 August 2014 |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1hshAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FWEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5653,8995145}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first= Cathy |last= Booth |title= The second British invasion: How It Really Happened |agency= [[United Press International]] |newspaper= [[The Daily Courier (Arizona)|The Prescott Courier]] |date= 8 June 1984 |access-date= 25 August 2014 |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NItaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R08DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4342,1610055}}</ref> He has been described by the [[AllMusic]] editor [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] as "one of the defining figures of mid-'80s [[synth-pop]]",<ref name="AMG"/> and he performed at [[Live Aid]] in 1985.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
'''Howard Jones''' (born '''John Howard Jones''', 23 February 1955, [[Southampton]], [[Hampshire]], England<ref name="AMG">{{cite web |first= |last= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3jfqxql5ldae~T1 |title=Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=14 May 2009}}</ref>) is an English musician. According to the ''[[Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums]]'', "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular [[record chart|chart]] visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of [[synthpop]]. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at [[Live Aid]]".<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| last= Roberts
Line 32: Line 45:
| location= London
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 289}}</ref> He has sold over eight million albums.<ref name="songwriting">{{cite web | url= https://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/interviews/interview-howard-jones | title= Interview: Howard Jones | work=Songwriting magazine | date=10 October 2019 | access-date=28 May 2024}}</ref>
| page= 289}}</ref> [[Allmusic]] journalist, [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] adds, "Jones was one of the defining figures of mid 1980s synthpop. His music merged the technology intensive sound of [[New Wave music|new wave]] with the cheery optimism of [[hippie]]s and late 1960s pop. Jones racked up a string of hits in the mid and late 1980s, before he retreated into being a cult figure in the 1990s".<ref name="AMG"/>


==Biography==
==Early life==
John Howard Jones was born in [[Southampton]] to Welsh parents and spent his early years in [[Rhiwbina]], [[Cardiff]], [[South Wales]], where he attended Heol Llanishen Fach primary school and then [[Whitchurch Grammar School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://livingmags.co.uk/why-i-still-cry-at-the-welsh-national-anthem-an-interview-with-howard-jones-2009/|title=Why I still cry at the Welsh National Anthem - an interview with Howard Jones (2009)|website=Livingmags.co.uk|date=21 July 2010}}</ref> Jones is the eldest of four boys. His brothers, Roy, Martin, and Paul, are all musicians in their own right.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://montclairdispatch.com/howard-jones-gets-ready-to-rock-the-wellmont/|title=Howard Jones Gets Ready To Rock The Wellmont|first1=Joseph|last1=Michalitsianos|last2=Journalist|date=31 October 2016|website=The Montclair Dispatch}}</ref> Jones began taking piano lessons at age seven.<ref name="auto"/> He later attended the [[Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe|Royal Grammar School]] in [[High Wycombe]], [[Buckinghamshire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.all80s.co.uk/howard-jones/|title=Howard Jones|date=29 January 2019|website=All80s.co.uk}}</ref> The family moved to [[Canada]] when he was a teenager. His first band was Warrior, a [[progressive rock]] group.<ref name="AMG"/>
===Early life===
He is the eldest of four boys (brothers Roy, Martin, and Paul). Born in Southampton to Welsh parents, he spent his early years growing up in [[Rhiwbina]], Cardiff, South Wales where he attended [[Whitchurch, Cardiff|Whitchurch]] Grammar School; and later in [[Stokenchurch]], near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, where he attended the [[Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe|Royal Grammar School]].<ref name="80smusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.80smusiclyrics.com/artists/howardjones.htm|title=Howard Jones|accessdate=1 January 2009}}</ref> Jones took piano lessons from the age of seven, and when he was a teenager, his family had relocated to Canada, which is where he joined his first band, a [[progressive rock]] group called Warrior.<ref name="AMG"/> Eventually, Jones moved back to the United Kingdom, where he played in a number of different groups.<ref name="AMG"/> He then spent a year at the [[Royal Northern College of Music]] in Manchester.<ref name="AMG"/>


After returning to the UK, Jones attended the [[Royal Northern College of Music]] in [[Manchester]] in the mid-1970s while playing in various bands.<ref name="AMG"/>
===Early career===
He left the college after two-and-a-half years of a three-year course because he did not want to be a [[classical music|classical]] pianist.<ref name="songwriting"/> He met Buddhist practitioner Bill Bryant, who wrote lyrics for some of Jones's songs and was a major influence in this period.<ref name="Howard Jones">{{cite book
He appeared as a solo artist in local venues in High Wycombe, before inviting the [[mime artist]] Jed Hoile, who used to do improvised choreography, whilst doused in white paint, as Jones played behind him.<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia">{{cite book
| first= Helen
| last= Fitzgerald
| year= 1985
| title= Howard Jones
| edition= 1st
| publisher= Bobcat books
| location= London
| pages= 34–35
| isbn= 0-7119-0767-6}}</ref> The Jones brothers (minus Howard) had a band called Red Beat in the late 1970s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.classicrockreview.com/2015/08/1985-howard-jones-dream-into-action/|title=Dream Into Action by Howard Jones - Classic Rock Review|website=Classicrockreview.com|date=August 2015 }}</ref>

==Career==
===1980s===
[[File:Howard Jones 1985 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Jones in 1985]]
Jones appeared as a solo artist in local venues in High Wycombe before inviting [[mime artist]] Jed Hoile to perform improvised choreography as Jones played behind him.<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia">{{cite book
| first= David
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| last= Roberts
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| publisher= Guinness Publishing Ltd.
| publisher= Guinness Publishing Ltd.
| location= London
| location= London
| page= [https://archive.org/details/guinnessrockoped0000unse/page/219 219]
| page= 219
| isbn= 0-85112-072-5}}</ref> In 1983 Jones hired the [[Marquee Club]] in London and invited record labels to come and see him perform.<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{cite book
| isbn= 0-85112-072-5
| url-access= registration
| url= https://archive.org/details/guinnessrockoped0000unse/page/219
}}</ref> In 1983, he hired the [[Marquee Club]] in London and invited [[record label]]s to come and see him perform.<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{cite book
| first= John
| first= John
| last= Tobler
| last= Tobler
Line 56: Line 85:
| publisher= Reed International Books Ltd
| publisher= Reed International Books Ltd
| location= London
| location= London
| pages= 393
| page= 393
| id= CN 5585}}</ref> After a well-received [[John Peel]] [[Peel session|session]] he obtained support slots with [[China Crisis]] and [[Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark|OMD]] before signing to [[Warner Music Group|WEA]] in the UK and [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] in the U.S. in the summer of 1983.<ref name="AMG"/>
| id= CN 5585}}</ref> After a [[BBC Radio 1]] session, Jones obtained support slots with [[China Crisis]] and [[Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark]] (OMD) before signing to [[Warner Music Group]] (WMG) in mid-1983.<ref name="AMG"/> He has cited influences such as OMD (whose song "[[Enola Gay (song)|Enola Gay]]" was covered by Jones in early live sets), [[Keith Emerson]] and [[Stevie Wonder]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westword.com/music/howard-jones-on-performing-human-lib-and-dream-into-action-in-their-entirety-on-this-tour-5711909?showFullText=true|title=Howard Jones on performing Human Lib and Dream Into Action in their entirety on this tour|last=Murphy|first=Tom|date=12 October 2011|website=[[Westword]]|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref>


Jones' first [[single (music)|single]], "[[New Song (Howard Jones song)|New Song]]", was released in September 1983. It reached the top 30 in the US and the [[Top 40|top 5]] in the UK.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> He made his debut performance on [[BBC Television]]'s ''[[Top of the Pops]]'' on 22 September 1983. He had four more [[hit record|hits]] over the next twelve months and a UK number one album, ''[[Human's Lib]]'', which eventually went double platinum. Bill Bryant was credited with jointly writing the lyrics for six songs on the album.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> "New Song", "[[What Is Love (Howard Jones song)|What Is Love?]]", and "[[Pearl in the Shell]]" all did well during 1983 and 1984.<ref name="AMG"/> ''Human's Lib'' was certified [[music recording sales certification|gold]] and [[music recording sales certification|platinum]] in several countries. Jones had developed a loyal teen following. His parents ran his fan club.<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/><ref name="80smusic"/>
===Major record label career===
After a promotional frenzy, his first [[single (music)|single]] called "[[New Song (Howard Jones song)|New Song]]" was released in September 1983 and reached the UK [[Top 40|Top 5]]<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> and U.S. Top 30.<ref name="Singles">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3jfqxql5ldae~T51|title=Allmusic ((( Howard Jones > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))}}</ref> He made his debut performance on [[BBC Television]]'s ''[[Top Of The Pops]]'' in October 1983, watching the performance on a borrowed television resting on an [[ironing board]] before a [[concert]] at the [[University of Kent]]. He subsequently had four more [[hit record|hits]] over the next twelve months and a UK Number 1 album, ''[[Human's Lib]]'', which eventually went double platinum.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> Thanks to repeated exposure on [[MTV]], the album became a moderate hit in the U.S.<ref name="AMG"/> Later in 1984, "New Song" and "What Is Love" became American [[Top 40]] hits, while "[[Pearl in the Shell]]" became his third UK Top 10 single.<ref name="AMG"/> ''Human's Lib'' went [[music recording sales certification|gold]] and [[music recording sales certification|platinum]] in a number of countries. Jones had developed a loyal teen following, and his mother and father, Thelma and John Jones, ran his fan club.<ref name="80smusic"/><ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/>


In the summer of 1984, he released "[[Like to Get to Know You Well]]", which he said was 'dedicated to the original spirit of the [[Olympic Games]]'. Although it was not an official [[Olympic Hymn|Olympic anthem]] for [[1984 Summer Olympics|the Games in Los Angeles]] that summer, it was a worldwide hit. It reached Number 4 in the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> The sleeve featured the song title in ten different languages; while Jones sang the title line in French and German on the extended 12" version. The song also appeared in the film, ''[[Better Off Dead (film)|Better Off Dead]]'' (1985), and the computer game, ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories]]'' (2006).<ref name="80smusic"/>
In the summer of 1984, Jones released "[[Like to Get to Know You Well]]", which he said was 'dedicated to the original spirit of the [[Olympic Games]].' Although it was not an official [[Olympic Hymn|Olympic anthem]] for [[1984 Summer Olympics|the Games in Los Angeles]] that summer, it was a worldwide hit. It reached No. 4 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> The sleeve featured the song title in ten different languages while Jones sang the title line in French and German on the extended 12″ version. The song also appeared in the film ''[[Better Off Dead (film)|Better Off Dead]]'' (1985) and the [[video game]] ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories]]'' (2006).<ref name="80smusic"/>


In February 1985, Jones appeared with [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Herbie Hancock]] and [[Thomas Dolby]] at the 27th [[Grammy Awards]] ceremony; the group performed a medley of material from all four artists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/the-surreal-synthesizer-showdown-of-the-1985-grammys-192325334.html|title=Blinded by science: Remembering the surreal 'Synthesizer Showdown' of the 1985 Grammys|last=Parker|first=Lyndsey|date=22 January 2020|website=[[Yahoo!]] Entertainment|access-date=16 December 2022}}</ref>
Jones' second long player was a [[remix]] album.<ref name="80smusic"/> It contained six songs, all but one of which had been previously released, but which appeared in elongated formats, including the multilingual version of "Like to Get to Know You Well".<ref name="80smusic"/> The record sleeve for ''[[The 12 Inch Album]]'', featured a miniature Jones standing next to a 12-inch ruler.<ref name="80smusic"/>


Jones' second LP was a [[remix]] album.<ref name="80smusic"/> It contained six songs, all but one of which had been previously released, but which appeared in elongated formats, including the multilingual version of "Like to Get to Know You Well".<ref name="80smusic"/> The album was certified gold in the UK.<ref name="80smusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.80smusiclyrics.com/artists/howardjones.htm |title=Howard Jones |publisher=80smusiclyrics.com |access-date=1 January 2009 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427124011/http://www.80smusiclyrics.com/artists/howardjones.htm |archive-date=27 April 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
In 1985, Jones phased Hoile out of his live show, and released his second studio album, ''[[Dream into Action]]''.<ref name="AMG"/> He introduced his own backing band, including the female [[backing vocalist]] trio, [[Afrodiziak]].<ref name="80smusic"/> Afrodiziak featured [[Caron Wheeler]] (who went on to greater success with [[Soul II Soul]]) and [[Claudia Fontaine]] (who became a renowned backing singer).<ref name="80smusic"/> Playing bass guitar was Jones' own [[sibling|brother]], Martin.<ref name="80smusic"/> He had to have an extra string added to his [[musical instrument|instrument]] to play some of the bass lines which had originally been played on a keyboard. One of the singles released from this album, "[[No One Is to Blame]]", was later re-recorded and featured [[Phil Collins]] as drummer and producer. ''Dream into Action'' was a worldwide hit and Jones' most successful album, reaching number 2 in the UK and number 10 (and going platinum) in the U.S.<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/> The album spawned the hit singles "[[Things Can Only Get Better (Howard Jones song)|Things Can Only Get Better]]", "[[Life In One Day]]", and "[[Look Mama]]".<ref name="AMG"/> In July 1985, Jones performed at [[Wembley Stadium (1924)|Wembley Stadium]] as part of the [[Live Aid]] concert, singing his 1984 hit "[[Hide and Seek (Howard Jones song)|Hide and Seek]]" while playing a piano belonging to [[Freddie Mercury]].<ref name="80smusic"/> He also embarked on a world tour reaching Japan, Australia and the U.S.<ref name="80smusic"/>


In 1985, Jones released his second studio album, ''[[Dream into Action]]'',<ref name="AMG"/> which included backup work by the trio [[Afrodiziak]].<ref name="80smusic"/> Afrodiziak included [[Caron Wheeler]] and [[Claudia Fontaine]].<ref name="80smusic"/> His brother Martin played bass guitar.<ref name="80smusic"/> He had to have an extra string added to his [[musical instrument|instrument]] to play some of the bass lines, which had originally been scored for keyboard. One of the album's tracks, "[[No One Is to Blame]]", was later re-recorded, featuring [[Phil Collins]] as drummer and producer, and performing backing vocals. (This second version appears on Jones's U.S. EP ''[[Action Replay (Howard Jones album)|Action Replay]]'', and also as a bonus track on the CD version of the following LP ''[[One to One (Howard Jones album)|One to One]]''). ''Dream into Action'' was Jones's most successful album and popular worldwide; it reached number two in the UK and number 10 in the US, and remained on the US chart for almost a year.<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/> The singles "[[Life in One Day]]", "[[Things Can Only Get Better (Howard Jones song)|Things Can Only Get Better]]", and "[[Look Mama]]" appeared on this album.<ref name="AMG"/> In July 1985, Jones performed at [[Wembley Stadium (1924)|Wembley Stadium]] as part of the [[Live Aid]] concert, singing his 1984 hit "[[Hide and Seek (Howard Jones song)|Hide and Seek]]" and playing piano.<ref name="80smusic"/> He also embarked on a world tour.<ref name="80smusic"/>
In the spring of 1986 in the U.S., he released ''[[Action Replay (Howard Jones album)|Action Replay]]'', an [[Extended play|EP]] of remixes that featured a new version of "No One Is to Blame".<ref name="AMG"/> It became Jones' biggest U.S. hit, peaking at number 4.<ref name="AMG"/> However, by this time, Jones' fortunes were changing in his native UK and "No One Is To Blame" peaked at a relatively lowly 16. His next single, "All I Want", peaked at number 35, and would be his last UK Top 40 hit. Jones released his third studio album, ''[[One To One (Howard Jones album)|One To One]]'', in October 1986, which peaked at number 10 in the UK and would be his last hit album.<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>

The [[Extended play|EP]] ''[[Action Replay (Howard Jones album)|Action Replay]]'' was released in 1986. It included the re-recorded version of "No One Is to Blame".<ref name="AMG"/> The song was Jones's biggest US hit, reaching number 4 on the chart.<ref name="AMG"/> By this time, his fortunes were changing in his native UK, and "No One Is to Blame" peaked at number 16. His next single, "All I Want", peaked at number 35, and would be his last UK top 40 hit. Jones released his third studio album, ''[[One to One (Howard Jones album)|One to One]]'', in October 1986, which peaked at number 10 in the UK and would be his last UK hit album, despite achieving gold sales status.<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> In the US, Jones continued to fill large arenas, and the single "You Know I Love You... Don't You?" went top twenty in 1986 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Hot 100 singles chart.{{cn|date=June 2019}}


In June 1988, Jones performed at [[Amnesty International]]'s ''Festival of Youth'' at the [[National Bowl|Milton Keynes Bowl]].<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years 2">{{cite book
In June 1988, Jones performed at [[Amnesty International]]'s ''Festival of Youth'' at the [[National Bowl|Milton Keynes Bowl]].<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years 2">{{cite book
Line 78: Line 108:
| publisher= Reed International Books Ltd
| publisher= Reed International Books Ltd
| location= London
| location= London
| pages= 443
| page= 443
| id= CN 5585}}</ref> Jones's subsequent album, ''[[Cross That Line]]'' (1989), performed poorly in the UK,<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/> but the 1989 singles "[[Everlasting Love (Howard Jones song)|Everlasting Love]]" (his second US [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|Adult Contemporary]] number 1 hit after "No One Is to Blame") and "[[The Prisoner (Howard Jones song)|The Prisoner]]" charted in the US. Jones continued to play large venues in the US during the late 1980s, and the Cross That Line Tour played major outdoor venues in the US in 1989.{{cn|date=June 2019}}
| id= CN 5585}}</ref>
Jones' subsequent albums ''[[Cross That Line]]'' (1989) and ''[[In the Running]]'' (1992) both performed poorly, the latter even failing to chart.<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/> He had further minor hits on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' charts in the U.S. during this period, including "[[Everlasting Love (Howard Jones song)|Everlasting Love]]" (1989, his second #1 hit on the U.S. [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks]] chart after "No One Is to Blame"), "The Prisoner" (1989), and "Lift Me Up" (1992).<ref name="Singles"/> With his ten year tenure on the Warner music label at an end, a greatest hits compilation ''[[The Best of Howard Jones]]'' was released in 1993. The album peaked at number 36 in the UK, but by 2005 (12 years after its release) it was certified Silver by the [[British Phonographic Industry|BPI]] for 60,000 copies sold.


===1990s===
===Independent recording and producing===
Jones's 1992 album ''[[In the Running]]'' failed to chart in the UK,<ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/> but the single "[[Lift Me Up (Howard Jones song)|Lift Me Up]]" (1992) charted in the US.
After Jones' contract with [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Music UK]] expired, he concentrated on production, songwriting and running a successful vegetarian restaurant called 'Nowhere'.<ref name="80smusic"/>
He started his own record label, Dtox, and produced an album, ''[[Working in the Backroom]]'', in his own recording studio ('The Shed'). The album was made available only at [[concert]]s and through his official [[website]].<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/>
With his 10-year tenure on the Warner Music label at an end, a greatest-hits compilation ''[[The Best of Howard Jones]]'' was released in 1993. The album peaked at number 36 in the UK, and by 2005 (12 years after its release) it was certified silver by the [[British Phonographic Industry|BPI]] for over 60,000 copies sold in the UK.{{cn|date=June 2019}}


Jones had success as a songwriter for other artists in the early 1990s. He co-wrote the dance-music hits "Heaven Give Me Words" and "Your Wildlife" with the members of [[Propaganda (band)|Propaganda]]. The tracks appeared on the 1990 album ''[[1234 (Propaganda album)|1234]]''; "Heaven Give Me Words" reached number 22 on the Adult Contemporary chart and "Your Wildlife" reached number 22 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/1234-r15867/charts-awards |title=1234 - Propaganda &#124; Awards |website=[[AllMusic]] |date=12 June 1990 |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/heaven-give-me-words-t3241787 |title=Heaven Give Me Words - Propaganda &#124; Listen, Appearances, Song Review |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref>
For the next two years, Jones continually toured America and Europe.<ref name="AMG"/> In 1996, he released ''[[Live Acoustic America]]'' and ''[[People (Howard Jones album)|People]]'' followed two years later.<ref name="AMG"/> In 2001, Jones played keyboards for [[Ringo Starr]] on his [[Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band|All Starr Band]] tour.<ref name="80smusic"/>


After Jones' contract with WMG expired, he concentrated on production, songwriting, and running a restaurant.<ref name="80smusic"/> He started his own record label, Dtox, releasing a number of albums through the label, such as ''[[Working in the Backroom]]'', produced in his own recording studio ('The Shed'). The album, which sold over 20,000 copies in the first year of release, was made available only at [[concert]]s and through his official [[website]].<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="Guinness Rockopedia"/>
On 20 September 2003, Jones played a sold out twentieth anniversary concert at the [[O2 Shepherds Bush Empire|Shepherds Bush Empire]], London, commemorating the release of his first single.<ref name="IMDb">[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0907854/recommendations IMDb.com – accessed May 2009]</ref> He was joined by [[Midge Ure]] and [[Nena]], as well as his mime artist, Jed Hoile. A recording of this concert was later released on DVD.<ref name="IMDb"/> Jones continued to tour and write new music, collaborating with Robbie Bronnimann to co-produce music for [[Sugababes]] and Jones' own 2005 album ''[[Revolution of the Heart]]''.<ref name="AMG"/> He toured playing gigs in the United States, Italy, Germany and Sweden and played a number of times at the [[Edinburgh Festival]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3654342/How-Howard-changed-his-tune.html |title=''How Howard changed his tune'' by Marc Lee |publisher=Telegraph.co.uk |accessdate=16 May 2009 | location=London | date=9 August 2006}}</ref> The same year Jones provided a vocal for the song "Into the Dark" by [[Ferry Corsten]] for the latter's album, ''[[L.E.F.]]''<ref>[http://www.ferrycorsten.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4510 Ferrycorsten.com – accessed May 2009]</ref> Jones also re-recorded "[[Things Can Only Get Better (Howard Jones song)|Things Can Only Get Better]]" in [[Simlish]], the fictional language spoken by characters in [[Electronic Arts]]', ''[[The Sims 2]]''.<ref>[http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6185772.html Gamespot.com – accessed May 2009]</ref> Jones was also featured on Katrina Carlson's [[cover version|cover]] of "No One Is to Blame", which entered the U.S. [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks]] chart in 2007.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1209432/bio IMDb.com – Katrina Carlson mini biography – accessed May 2009]</ref>


Jones toured the US and Europe over the next couple of years. ''[[Live Acoustic America]]'' came out in 1996 and ''[[People (Howard Jones album)|People]]'' in 1998.<ref name="AMG"/>
===Recent activities===
In October 2006, Jones released "Building Our Own Future" as a [[podsafe]] track, as one of several established artists looking to use [[podcast]]s as a new means of promoting their music and tours.<ref>[http://www.mevio.com/music/?artist_id=6741 Mevio.com – accessed May 2009]</ref> The song debuted at #1 on the [[PMC Top10]] on 29 October 2006 and spent four weeks at the top of the chart. Howard's track "Revolution of the Heart" spent five weeks at #1 on the PMC Top10 during 2007 and finished the year as the #2<ref name=pmc2007>{{cite web|last=Doelle|first=Chris|url=http://www.podmusiccountdown.com/archives/2008/01/pmc_top10_01040.html|title=Top Hits of 2007|publisher=''[[PMC Top10]]''|date=5 January 2008|accessdate=1 April 2007}}</ref> song in their annual countdown.


The track "If You Love" was featured on the soundtrack to the TV series ''[[Party of Five]]''. Jones continued to produce and write for a number of artists during the mid to late 1990s, including [[Martin Grech]], DBA, and [[Sandie Shaw]].{{cn|date=June 2019}}
Jones embarked on an acoustic tour of Australia in 2007, beginning in Brisbane and concluding on 5 April in Perth.<ref>[http://www.enjoyperth.com.au/2007/03/whats-on-perth-wa-april-2007/ Enjoyperth.com.au – retrieved 16 May 2009]</ref> The ''[[Revolution Remixed & Surrounded]]'' album was followed in November by ''Live in Birkenhead''. Jones performed another acoustic set, with other 1980s acts at the Retrofest, on 1 September 2007 at [[Culzean Castle]] in Ayrshire, Scotland.<ref>[http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/97/News/63/ Nts.org.uk – accessed May 2009]</ref> Jones also went into the studios with [[The Young Punx]] to record vocals for their summer 2008 release, "And The Feel Goes On".


===2000s===
Jones practices [[Nichiren Buddhism]] and chants [[Nam Myoho Renge Kyo]] daily. He is an active member of [[Sōka Gakkai International]] in the UK, and is musical director of one of its choirs, the Glorious Life Chorus. The chorus performs some of his songs in its repertoire, including "Building Our Own Future" and "Respected". He returned to Australia again in 2009, this time accompanied by vocalist Laura Clapp and music technologist Robbie Bronnimann.<ref>[http://www.lauraclapp.com/tour.cfm?mpf=frame&showall=1 Lauraclapp.com/tour – accessed May 2009]</ref> On 26 February 2009 Jones was at the UK premiere of [[Roland Corporation|Roland]]'s new V-Piano in [[Bristol]] and performed "Hide and Seek".<ref>[http://www.sonicstate.com/news/2009/02/27/howard-jones-to-play-at-roland-v-piano-bristol/ Sonicstate.com – accessed May 2009]</ref> He continues to tour, and played the 'Big Hair Affair 2009' on 1 August 2009 at the Ryedale Arena, [[Pickering, North Yorkshire|Pickering]], [[North Yorkshire]].<ref>[http://www.theeventsoffice.co.uk/m_thebighairaffair.html Theevensoffice.co.uk – accessed May 2009]</ref>
In 2001, Jones played keyboards on the [[Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band]] tour.<ref name="80smusic"/>


On 20 September 2003, Jones played a 20th anniversary concert at the [[Shepherd's Bush Empire]], London, commemorating the release of his first single.<ref name="IMDb">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0907854/recommendations |title=Recommendations for Howard Jones: 20th Anniversary Concert Live at the Shepherd's Bush Empire (2005)|publisher=IMDb.com|access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref> He was joined by [[Midge Ure]] and [[Nena]], as well as his mime artist, Jed Hoile. A recording of this concert was later released on DVD.<ref name="IMDb"/> Jones continued to tour and write new music, collaborating with Robbie Bronnimann to co-write and co-produce music for [[Sugababes]], and Jones' own 2005 album ''[[Revolution of the Heart]]''.<ref name="AMG"/> He toured playing gigs in the United States, Italy, Germany and Sweden and played a number of times at the [[Edinburgh Festival]] in 2006.<ref name="How Howard changed his tune">{{cite news | url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3654342/How-Howard-changed-his-tune.html | title= How Howard changed his tune | work=The Daily Telegraph | first=Marc | last=Lee | date=9 August 2006 | access-date=6 September 2014 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> The same year Jones provided a vocal for the song "Into the Dark" by [[Ferry Corsten]] for the latter's album, ''[[L.E.F.]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ferrycorsten.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4510 |title=302 Found |publisher=Ferrycorsten.com |access-date=2 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127144301/http://www.ferrycorsten.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4510 |archive-date=27 January 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Jones also re-recorded "[[Things Can Only Get Better (Howard Jones song)|Things Can Only Get Better]]" in [[Simlish]], the fictional language spoken by characters in [[Electronic Arts]]', ''[[The Sims 2]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6185772.html |title=Bedingfield sings simlish in new Sims soundtrack - GameSpot.com |publisher=Uk.gamespot.com |date=29 February 2008 |access-date=2 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715124930/http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6185772.html |archive-date=15 July 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Jones was also featured on Katrina Carlson's [[cover version|cover]] of "No One Is to Blame", which entered the US [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks]] chart in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1209432/bio|title=Katrina Carlson mini biography|publisher=IMDb.com|access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref>
His latest album, ''[[Ordinary Heroes (album)|Ordinary Heroes]]'' was released in November 2009,<ref>[http://www.morristonorpheus.com/home.php?page_id=205 Morristonorpheus.com – accessed May 2009]</ref><ref>[http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/Choir-director-s-dream-duet-Howard-Jones/article-952577-detail/article.html Thisissouthwales.co.uk – accessed May 2009]</ref> and he toured London, Cardiff and Manchester with a string section and the [[Morriston Orpheus Choir]] (in [[St David's Hall]] in [[Cardiff]]). A single, "Soon You'll Go", preceded the album's launch.


In October 2006, Jones released "Building Our Own Future" as a [[podsafe]] track, as one of several established artists looking to use [[podcast]]s as a new means of promoting their music and tours.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mevio.com/music/?artist_id=6741 |title=Howard Jones |publisher=mevio |access-date=2 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224012918/http://www.mevio.com/music/?artist_id=6741 |archive-date=24 February 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The song debuted at number 1 on the PMC Top10 on 29 October 2006 and spent four weeks at the top of the chart. Jones' track "Revolution of the Heart" spent five weeks at number 1 on the PMC Top10 during 2007 and finished the year as the number 2<ref name=pmc2007>{{cite web|last=Doelle|first=Chris|url=http://www.podmusiccountdown.com/archives/2008/01/pmc_top10_01040.html|title=Top Hits of 2007|publisher=PMC Top10|date=5 January 2008|access-date=1 April 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080325200052/http://www.podmusiccountdown.com/archives/2008/01/pmc_top10_01040.html|archive-date = 25 March 2008}}</ref> song in their annual countdown.
According to the local [[BBC]] website, Jones currently lives in [[Creech St Michael]], near [[Taunton]], [[Somerset]].


Jones embarked on an acoustic tour of Australia in 2007, beginning in Brisbane and concluding on 5 April in Perth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enjoyperth.com.au/2007/03/whats-on-perth-wa-april-2007/ |title=What's on Perth - April 2007 &#124; Enjoy Perth! |access-date=2 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090415093444/http://www.enjoyperth.com.au/2007/03/whats-on-perth-wa-april-2007/ |archive-date=15 April 2009 }}</ref> The ''[[Revolution Remixed & Surrounded]]'' album was followed in November by ''Live in Birkenhead''. Jones performed another acoustic set, with other 1980s acts at the Retrofest, on 1 September 2007 at [[Culzean Castle]] in Ayrshire, Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/97/News/63/ |title=NTS Places to visit - Culzean Castle & Country Park |publisher=Nts.org.uk |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref>
Jones is a member of the board of directors for the [[Featured Artists Coalition]].<ref>[http://www.featuredartistscoalition.com Featured Artists Coalition]</ref>


Jones is a member of [[Sōka Gakkai International]], and is musical director of one of its choirs, the Glorious Life Chorus. The chorus performs some of his songs in its repertoire, including "Building Our Own Future" and "Respected". He returned to Australia again in 2009, this time accompanied by vocalist Laura Clapp and music technologist Robbie Bronnimann. On 26 February 2009, Jones was at the UK premiere of [[Roland Corporation|Roland]]'s new V-Piano in [[Bristol]], and performed "Hide and Seek".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sonicstate.com/news/2009/02/27/howard-jones-to-play-at-roland-v-piano-bristol/ |title=Howard Jones To Play At Roland V-Piano Bristol, 4th March Arnolfini 11am |publisher=Sonicstate.com |date=4 March 2009 |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref> He continues to tour, and played the 'Big Hair Affair 2009' on 1 August 2009 at the Ryedale Arena, [[Pickering, North Yorkshire|Pickering]], [[North Yorkshire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theeventsoffice.co.uk/m_thebighairaffair.html |title=The Big Hair Affair - Events and Exhibitions, Promoter, Organiser, Indoor and Outdoor, Game Fairs |date=21 May 2009 |access-date=2 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521090111/http://www.theeventsoffice.co.uk/m_thebighairaffair.html |archive-date=21 May 2009 }}</ref>
Jones remains highly popular in the British Virgin Islands where his song, "Like to get to know you well" remained in the top 40 for 12 years. His fanclub there is headed up by legal secretary Natalie Hinton.

''[[Ordinary Heroes (album)|Ordinary Heroes]]'' was released in November 2009,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.morristonorpheus.com/home.php?page_id=205 |title=Howard Jones records with the Orpheus :: Morriston Orpheus Welsh Male Voice Choir |publisher=Morristonorpheus.com |date=13 November 2009 |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/Choir-director-s-dream-duet-Howard-Jones/article-952577-detail/article.html |title=Choir director's dream duet with Howard Jones |newspaper=This is South Wales |date=30 April 2009 |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref> and he toured London, Cardiff and Manchester with a string section and the [[Morriston Orpheus Choir]] (in [[St David's Hall]] in [[Cardiff]]). A single, "Soon You'll Go", preceded the album's launch.{{cn|date=June 2019}} During an interview with the Stuck in the '80s podcast after the album's release, Jones said "Soon You'll Go" was inspired by his daughter's upcoming departure to university, but that the song has come to take on broader meaning about cherishing the time he has with people.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chtbl.com/track/8G858/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/stuckinthe80s/stuckinthe80s213.mp3 |title=Stuck in the '80s interview with host Steve Spears |access-date=10 October 2010 }}</ref>

Jones is a member of the board of directors for the [[Featured Artists Coalition]], which was founded in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.featuredartistscoalition.com |title=Featured Artists Coalition |publisher=Featured Artists Coalition |access-date=2 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130816184355/http://www.featuredartistscoalition.com/ |archive-date=16 August 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

===2010s===
[[File:Howard Jones (musician).JPG|thumb|Jones performing in 2015]]

On 29 November 2011, a UK tour was announced. ''Human's Lib'' and ''Dream Into Action'' were performed in April 2012 across eight venues. A weekly radio series coincided with tour called ''Electronic 80s with Howard Jones'' on [[Absolute Radio]].{{cn|date=June 2019}}

In 2012, he appeared on "The Song That Changed My Life" on BYUtv, the cable station for [[Brigham Young University]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://byutv.org/watch/4de1b9ad-e106-430d-86a7-b8cc514fdbea/the-song-that-changed-my-life-howard-jones |title=The Song That Changed My Life - Howard Jones |publisher=BYUtv |access-date=8 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009232119/http://byutv.org/watch/4de1b9ad-e106-430d-86a7-b8cc514fdbea/the-song-that-changed-my-life-howard-jones |archive-date=9 October 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

In 2015, the release of ''Engage'' was made on Jones' own D-TOX Records.{{cn|date=June 2019}}

In 2016, he went out on tour supporting [[Barenaked Ladies]] as an opening act for their Last Summer on Earth US tour, reuniting with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/events/1507723639531691/|title=Barenaked Ladies: Last Summer on Earth 2016|website=Facebook.com|access-date=16 April 2018}}</ref>

In 2018, Jones joined fellow musician [[Steve Hogarth]] of [[Marillion]] by being present at the unveiling of a sculpture in tribute to [[David Bowie]] in [[Aylesbury]], [[Buckinghamshire]].<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2018/03/27/news/david-bowie-sculpture-vandalised-48-hours-after-unveiling-1289223/ | title= David Bowie sculpture vandalised 48 hours after unveiling | date=27 March 2018|work=Irish News}}</ref>

''[[Transform (Howard Jones album)|Transform]]'' was released on 10 May, 2019. It features three collaborations with electronic musician [[BT (musician)|BT]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.keyboardmag.com/.amp/artists/howard-jones-will-release-new-studio-album-transform-on-may-10|title=Howard Jones Will Release New Studio Album "Transform" on May 10|website=[[Keyboard (magazine)|Keyboard]]|date=6 February 2019|access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref> It is the second electronic album in a set of four, the first being ''Engage''. In 2022 the third album was released, ''Dialogue'' consisting of eight songs. The fourth album in the set, and his fifteenth studio album ''Global Citizen'' is expected in 2023.

==In the media==
Jones has spoken of the media's negative perception of him. In 2006, he said: "My songs are not about drug-taking or debauchery or rock and roll. They're about positive thinking and challenging people's ideas. I wasn't fashionable. I never got good reviews. But I'm proud of the fact that I wasn't liked by the media{{nbsp}}... Pop music is so reactionary and bigoted. And I found that what's 'cool' is often very shallow and transient."<ref name="How Howard changed his tune"/>

==Personal life==
Jones is married to Jan Smith.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.howardjones.com/history.html|title=Howard Jones - Official Website|website=Howardjones.com|access-date=20 September 2019}}</ref> They have three children: Osheen, Mica and Jasper.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/566452/Howard-Jones-interview|title=Whatever happened to Eighties pop star Howard Jones?|date=28 March 2015 }}</ref> In the late 1980s, Jones began practising [[Nichiren Buddhism]] as a member of the worldwide Buddhist association [[Soka Gakkai International]]; he has credited his daily practice of chanting "Nam myoho renge kyo" (I devote myself to the Lotus Sutra) since 1991 as "having a profoundly positive effect on my life."<ref>{{cite web | last =Jones | first =Howard | title =Howard On Buddhism | url =http://www.howardjones.com/buddhism.html |website=Howardjones.com| access-date =13 October 2013}}</ref>

As of 2006, Jones resided in [[Creech St Michael]], near [[Taunton]], [[Somerset]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2006/01/11/howard_jones_taunton_event_feature.shtml |title=Somerset - Entertainment - Howard Jones in Taunton |publisher=BBC |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref> Jones was a vegetarian for 42 years and became a vegan in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2018/11/08/in-conversation-howard-jones/|title= In conversation: Howard Jones|date=2018|first=Anil|last=Prasad|access-date=8 November 2018|website=Godisinthetvzine.co.uk}}</ref><ref name="rd-2019">{{cite magazine |last1=Persaud |first1=Joy |title=If I ruled the world: Howard Jones |url=https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/celebrities/if-i-ruled-the-world-howard-jones |access-date=5 October 2024 |magazine=[[Reader's Digest]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805213646/https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/celebrities/if-i-ruled-the-world-howard-jones |archive-date=5 August 2020}}</ref>


==Discography==
==Discography==
''See [[Howard Jones discography]]''
{{Main|Howard Jones discography}}
===Studio albums===
*''[[Human's Lib]]'' (1984)
*''[[Dream into Action]]'' (1985)
*''[[One to One (Howard Jones album)|One to One]]'' (1986)
*''[[Cross That Line]]'' (1989)
*''[[In the Running]]'' (1992)
*''[[Working in the Backroom]]'' (1994)
*''[[Angels & Lovers]]'' (1997)
*''[[People (Howard Jones album)|People]]'' (1998)
*''Piano Solos (For Friends and Loved Ones)'' (2003)
*''[[Revolution of the Heart]]'' (2005)
*''Piano Solos (For Friends and Loved Ones) Vol. 2'' (2006)
*''[[Ordinary Heroes (album)|Ordinary Heroes]]'' (2009)
*''Engage'' (2015)
*''[[Transform (Howard Jones album)|Transform]]'' (2019)
*''Dialogue'' (2022)

===Extended plays===
*''[[The 12″ Album]]'' (1984)
*''[[Action Replay (EP)|Action Replay]]'' (1986)


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
*''Howard Jones'' – [[Helen FitzGerald]] (1985); Bobcat, London – ISBN 0-7119-0767-6
*''Howard Jones'' – [[Helen FitzGerald]] (1985); Bobcat, London – {{ISBN|0-7119-0767-6}}
{{clear}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0428233|name=Howard Jones}}
* [http://www.howardjones.com Official website]
*[http://www.howardjones.com Official website]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160624184038/https://podsodcast.com/2015/08/05/em02/ Career Retrospective Interview from August 2015 with Pods & Sods]}}
* [https://chtbl.com/track/8G858/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/stuckinthe80s/stuckinthe80s213.mp3 Howard Jones interview on Stuck in the '80s podcast]

{{Howard Jones}}

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Howard}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Howard}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English electronic musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century British pianists]]
[[Category:English male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century British pianists]]
[[Category:English singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Northern College of Music]]
[[Category:English songwriters]]
[[Category:British Nichiren Buddhists]]
[[Category:English vegetarians]]
[[Category:British electronic musicians]]
[[Category:E1 Music artists]]
[[Category:British keyboardists]]
[[Category:Old Wycombiensians]]
[[Category:British male pianists]]
[[Category:People from Wycombe (district)]]
[[Category:British male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:People from Southampton]]
[[Category:British new wave musicians]]
[[Category:British people of Welsh descent]]

[[Category:British synth-pop new wave musicians]]
[[de:Howard Jones]]
[[Category:East West Records artists]]
[[fr:Howard Jones]]
[[Category:Elektra Records artists]]
[[it:Howard Jones (musicista britannico)]]
[[Category:Live Here Now artists]]
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[[Category:MNRK Music Group artists]]
[[ja:ハワード・ジョーンズ]]
[[Category:British male new wave singers]]
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[[Category:Members of Sōka Gakkai]]
[[pl:Howard Jones (brytyjski muzyk)]]
[[Category:Musicians from Hampshire]]
[[sk:Howard Jones (britský spevák)]]
[[Category:Musicians from Southampton]]
[[fi:Howard Jones (laulaja)]]
[[Category:People educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe]]
[[sv:Howard Jones]]
[[Category:People educated at Whitchurch Grammar School, Cardiff]]
[[Category:People from Chipping Barnet]]
[[Category:People from Wycombe District]]
[[Category:Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band members]]
[[Category:Second British Invasion artists]]
[[Category:British synth-pop singers]]

Latest revision as of 20:29, 1 January 2025

Not to be confused with Howard Jones (American singer).

Howard Jones
Jones performing live at Let's Rock Liverpool on 31 July 2021
Jones performing live at Let's Rock Liverpool on 31 July 2021
Background information
Birth nameJohn Howard Jones
Born (1955-02-23) 23 February 1955 (age 69)
Southampton, Hampshire, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • keyboards
  • drums
Years active1982–present
Labels
Websitewww.howardjones.com

John Howard Jones (born 23 February 1955)[1] is a Welsh musician, singer and songwriter. He had ten top 40 hit singles in the UK between 1983 and 1986, six of which reached the top ten, including "Like to Get to Know You Well" , "What Is Love?", "New Song", and "Things Can Only Get Better". His 1984 album Human's Lib reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. Around the world, Jones had 15 top 40 hit singles between 1983 and 1992. The 1986 hit single "No One Is to Blame" reached No. 4 on the US charts. Four others placed in the US top 20.

Jones is associated with the 1980s Second British Invasion of the US.[3][4] He has been described by the AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine as "one of the defining figures of mid-'80s synth-pop",[1] and he performed at Live Aid in 1985.[5] He has sold over eight million albums.[6]

Early life

[edit]

John Howard Jones was born in Southampton to Welsh parents and spent his early years in Rhiwbina, Cardiff, South Wales, where he attended Heol Llanishen Fach primary school and then Whitchurch Grammar School.[7] Jones is the eldest of four boys. His brothers, Roy, Martin, and Paul, are all musicians in their own right.[8] Jones began taking piano lessons at age seven.[8] He later attended the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.[9] The family moved to Canada when he was a teenager. His first band was Warrior, a progressive rock group.[1]

After returning to the UK, Jones attended the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in the mid-1970s while playing in various bands.[1] He left the college after two-and-a-half years of a three-year course because he did not want to be a classical pianist.[6] He met Buddhist practitioner Bill Bryant, who wrote lyrics for some of Jones's songs and was a major influence in this period.[10] The Jones brothers (minus Howard) had a band called Red Beat in the late 1970s.[11]

Career

[edit]

1980s

[edit]
Jones in 1985

Jones appeared as a solo artist in local venues in High Wycombe before inviting mime artist Jed Hoile to perform improvised choreography as Jones played behind him.[12] In 1983, he hired the Marquee Club in London and invited record labels to come and see him perform.[13] After a BBC Radio 1 session, Jones obtained support slots with China Crisis and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) before signing to Warner Music Group (WMG) in mid-1983.[1] He has cited influences such as OMD (whose song "Enola Gay" was covered by Jones in early live sets), Keith Emerson and Stevie Wonder.[14]

Jones' first single, "New Song", was released in September 1983. It reached the top 30 in the US and the top 5 in the UK.[5] He made his debut performance on BBC Television's Top of the Pops on 22 September 1983. He had four more hits over the next twelve months and a UK number one album, Human's Lib, which eventually went double platinum. Bill Bryant was credited with jointly writing the lyrics for six songs on the album.[5] "New Song", "What Is Love?", and "Pearl in the Shell" all did well during 1983 and 1984.[1] Human's Lib was certified gold and platinum in several countries. Jones had developed a loyal teen following. His parents ran his fan club.[12][15]

In the summer of 1984, Jones released "Like to Get to Know You Well", which he said was 'dedicated to the original spirit of the Olympic Games.' Although it was not an official Olympic anthem for the Games in Los Angeles that summer, it was a worldwide hit. It reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.[5] The sleeve featured the song title in ten different languages while Jones sang the title line in French and German on the extended 12″ version. The song also appeared in the film Better Off Dead (1985) and the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006).[15]

In February 1985, Jones appeared with Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Thomas Dolby at the 27th Grammy Awards ceremony; the group performed a medley of material from all four artists.[16]

Jones' second LP was a remix album.[15] It contained six songs, all but one of which had been previously released, but which appeared in elongated formats, including the multilingual version of "Like to Get to Know You Well".[15] The album was certified gold in the UK.[15]

In 1985, Jones released his second studio album, Dream into Action,[1] which included backup work by the trio Afrodiziak.[15] Afrodiziak included Caron Wheeler and Claudia Fontaine.[15] His brother Martin played bass guitar.[15] He had to have an extra string added to his instrument to play some of the bass lines, which had originally been scored for keyboard. One of the album's tracks, "No One Is to Blame", was later re-recorded, featuring Phil Collins as drummer and producer, and performing backing vocals. (This second version appears on Jones's U.S. EP Action Replay, and also as a bonus track on the CD version of the following LP One to One). Dream into Action was Jones's most successful album and popular worldwide; it reached number two in the UK and number 10 in the US, and remained on the US chart for almost a year.[1][12] The singles "Life in One Day", "Things Can Only Get Better", and "Look Mama" appeared on this album.[1] In July 1985, Jones performed at Wembley Stadium as part of the Live Aid concert, singing his 1984 hit "Hide and Seek" and playing piano.[15] He also embarked on a world tour.[15]

The EP Action Replay was released in 1986. It included the re-recorded version of "No One Is to Blame".[1] The song was Jones's biggest US hit, reaching number 4 on the chart.[1] By this time, his fortunes were changing in his native UK, and "No One Is to Blame" peaked at number 16. His next single, "All I Want", peaked at number 35, and would be his last UK top 40 hit. Jones released his third studio album, One to One, in October 1986, which peaked at number 10 in the UK and would be his last UK hit album, despite achieving gold sales status.[1][5] In the US, Jones continued to fill large arenas, and the single "You Know I Love You... Don't You?" went top twenty in 1986 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[citation needed]

In June 1988, Jones performed at Amnesty International's Festival of Youth at the Milton Keynes Bowl.[17] Jones's subsequent album, Cross That Line (1989), performed poorly in the UK,[12] but the 1989 singles "Everlasting Love" (his second US Adult Contemporary number 1 hit after "No One Is to Blame") and "The Prisoner" charted in the US. Jones continued to play large venues in the US during the late 1980s, and the Cross That Line Tour played major outdoor venues in the US in 1989.[citation needed]

1990s

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Jones's 1992 album In the Running failed to chart in the UK,[12] but the single "Lift Me Up" (1992) charted in the US.

With his 10-year tenure on the Warner Music label at an end, a greatest-hits compilation The Best of Howard Jones was released in 1993. The album peaked at number 36 in the UK, and by 2005 (12 years after its release) it was certified silver by the BPI for over 60,000 copies sold in the UK.[citation needed]

Jones had success as a songwriter for other artists in the early 1990s. He co-wrote the dance-music hits "Heaven Give Me Words" and "Your Wildlife" with the members of Propaganda. The tracks appeared on the 1990 album 1234; "Heaven Give Me Words" reached number 22 on the Adult Contemporary chart and "Your Wildlife" reached number 22 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart.[18][19]

After Jones' contract with WMG expired, he concentrated on production, songwriting, and running a restaurant.[15] He started his own record label, Dtox, releasing a number of albums through the label, such as Working in the Backroom, produced in his own recording studio ('The Shed'). The album, which sold over 20,000 copies in the first year of release, was made available only at concerts and through his official website.[1][12]

Jones toured the US and Europe over the next couple of years. Live Acoustic America came out in 1996 and People in 1998.[1]

The track "If You Love" was featured on the soundtrack to the TV series Party of Five. Jones continued to produce and write for a number of artists during the mid to late 1990s, including Martin Grech, DBA, and Sandie Shaw.[citation needed]

2000s

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In 2001, Jones played keyboards on the Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band tour.[15]

On 20 September 2003, Jones played a 20th anniversary concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, commemorating the release of his first single.[20] He was joined by Midge Ure and Nena, as well as his mime artist, Jed Hoile. A recording of this concert was later released on DVD.[20] Jones continued to tour and write new music, collaborating with Robbie Bronnimann to co-write and co-produce music for Sugababes, and Jones' own 2005 album Revolution of the Heart.[1] He toured playing gigs in the United States, Italy, Germany and Sweden and played a number of times at the Edinburgh Festival in 2006.[21] The same year Jones provided a vocal for the song "Into the Dark" by Ferry Corsten for the latter's album, L.E.F.[22] Jones also re-recorded "Things Can Only Get Better" in Simlish, the fictional language spoken by characters in Electronic Arts', The Sims 2.[23] Jones was also featured on Katrina Carlson's cover of "No One Is to Blame", which entered the US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart in 2007.[24]

In October 2006, Jones released "Building Our Own Future" as a podsafe track, as one of several established artists looking to use podcasts as a new means of promoting their music and tours.[25] The song debuted at number 1 on the PMC Top10 on 29 October 2006 and spent four weeks at the top of the chart. Jones' track "Revolution of the Heart" spent five weeks at number 1 on the PMC Top10 during 2007 and finished the year as the number 2[26] song in their annual countdown.

Jones embarked on an acoustic tour of Australia in 2007, beginning in Brisbane and concluding on 5 April in Perth.[27] The Revolution Remixed & Surrounded album was followed in November by Live in Birkenhead. Jones performed another acoustic set, with other 1980s acts at the Retrofest, on 1 September 2007 at Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland.[28]

Jones is a member of Sōka Gakkai International, and is musical director of one of its choirs, the Glorious Life Chorus. The chorus performs some of his songs in its repertoire, including "Building Our Own Future" and "Respected". He returned to Australia again in 2009, this time accompanied by vocalist Laura Clapp and music technologist Robbie Bronnimann. On 26 February 2009, Jones was at the UK premiere of Roland's new V-Piano in Bristol, and performed "Hide and Seek".[29] He continues to tour, and played the 'Big Hair Affair 2009' on 1 August 2009 at the Ryedale Arena, Pickering, North Yorkshire.[30]

Ordinary Heroes was released in November 2009,[31][32] and he toured London, Cardiff and Manchester with a string section and the Morriston Orpheus Choir (in St David's Hall in Cardiff). A single, "Soon You'll Go", preceded the album's launch.[citation needed] During an interview with the Stuck in the '80s podcast after the album's release, Jones said "Soon You'll Go" was inspired by his daughter's upcoming departure to university, but that the song has come to take on broader meaning about cherishing the time he has with people.[33]

Jones is a member of the board of directors for the Featured Artists Coalition, which was founded in 2009.[34]

2010s

[edit]
Jones performing in 2015

On 29 November 2011, a UK tour was announced. Human's Lib and Dream Into Action were performed in April 2012 across eight venues. A weekly radio series coincided with tour called Electronic 80s with Howard Jones on Absolute Radio.[citation needed]

In 2012, he appeared on "The Song That Changed My Life" on BYUtv, the cable station for Brigham Young University.[35]

In 2015, the release of Engage was made on Jones' own D-TOX Records.[citation needed]

In 2016, he went out on tour supporting Barenaked Ladies as an opening act for their Last Summer on Earth US tour, reuniting with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.[36]

In 2018, Jones joined fellow musician Steve Hogarth of Marillion by being present at the unveiling of a sculpture in tribute to David Bowie in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.[37]

Transform was released on 10 May, 2019. It features three collaborations with electronic musician BT.[38] It is the second electronic album in a set of four, the first being Engage. In 2022 the third album was released, Dialogue consisting of eight songs. The fourth album in the set, and his fifteenth studio album Global Citizen is expected in 2023.

In the media

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Jones has spoken of the media's negative perception of him. In 2006, he said: "My songs are not about drug-taking or debauchery or rock and roll. They're about positive thinking and challenging people's ideas. I wasn't fashionable. I never got good reviews. But I'm proud of the fact that I wasn't liked by the media ... Pop music is so reactionary and bigoted. And I found that what's 'cool' is often very shallow and transient."[21]

Personal life

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Jones is married to Jan Smith.[39] They have three children: Osheen, Mica and Jasper.[40] In the late 1980s, Jones began practising Nichiren Buddhism as a member of the worldwide Buddhist association Soka Gakkai International; he has credited his daily practice of chanting "Nam myoho renge kyo" (I devote myself to the Lotus Sutra) since 1991 as "having a profoundly positive effect on my life."[41]

As of 2006, Jones resided in Creech St Michael, near Taunton, Somerset.[42] Jones was a vegetarian for 42 years and became a vegan in 2019.[43][44]

Discography

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Main article: Howard Jones discography

Studio albums

[edit]

Extended plays

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Howard Jones – Helen FitzGerald (1985); Bobcat, London – ISBN 0-7119-0767-6

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  2. ^ Robbins, Ira. "Howard Jones". Trouser Press. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  3. ^ Kaye, Roger (31 October 1984). "Culture Club, Duran Duran, Police lead second invasion". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  4. ^ Booth, Cathy (8 June 1984). "The second British invasion: How It Really Happened". The Prescott Courier. United Press International. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d e Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 289. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. ^ a b "Interview: Howard Jones". Songwriting magazine. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  7. ^ "Why I still cry at the Welsh National Anthem - an interview with Howard Jones (2009)". Livingmags.co.uk. 21 July 2010.
  8. ^ a b Michalitsianos, Joseph; Journalist (31 October 2016). "Howard Jones Gets Ready To Rock The Wellmont". The Montclair Dispatch.
  9. ^ "Howard Jones". All80s.co.uk. 29 January 2019.
  10. ^ Fitzgerald, Helen (1985). Howard Jones (1st ed.). London: Bobcat books. pp. 34–35. ISBN 0-7119-0767-6.
  11. ^ "Dream Into Action by Howard Jones - Classic Rock Review". Classicrockreview.com. August 2015.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Roberts, David (1998). Guinness Rockopedia (1st ed.). London: Guinness Publishing Ltd. p. 219. ISBN 0-85112-072-5.
  13. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 393. CN 5585.
  14. ^ Murphy, Tom (12 October 2011). "Howard Jones on performing Human Lib and Dream Into Action in their entirety on this tour". Westword. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Howard Jones". 80smusiclyrics.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ Parker, Lyndsey (22 January 2020). "Blinded by science: Remembering the surreal 'Synthesizer Showdown' of the 1985 Grammys". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  17. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 443. CN 5585.
  18. ^ "1234 - Propaganda | Awards". AllMusic. 12 June 1990. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  19. ^ "Heaven Give Me Words - Propaganda | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  20. ^ a b "Recommendations for Howard Jones: 20th Anniversary Concert Live at the Shepherd's Bush Empire (2005)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  21. ^ a b Lee, Marc (9 August 2006). "How Howard changed his tune". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  22. ^ "302 Found". Ferrycorsten.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  23. ^ "Bedingfield sings simlish in new Sims soundtrack - GameSpot.com". Uk.gamespot.com. 29 February 2008. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  24. ^ "Katrina Carlson mini biography". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  25. ^ "Howard Jones". mevio. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  26. ^ Doelle, Chris (5 January 2008). "Top Hits of 2007". PMC Top10. Archived from the original on 25 March 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2007.
  27. ^ "What's on Perth - April 2007 | Enjoy Perth!". Archived from the original on 15 April 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  28. ^ "NTS Places to visit - Culzean Castle & Country Park". Nts.org.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  29. ^ "Howard Jones To Play At Roland V-Piano Bristol, 4th March Arnolfini 11am". Sonicstate.com. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  30. ^ "The Big Hair Affair - Events and Exhibitions, Promoter, Organiser, Indoor and Outdoor, Game Fairs". 21 May 2009. Archived from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  31. ^ "Howard Jones records with the Orpheus :: Morriston Orpheus Welsh Male Voice Choir". Morristonorpheus.com. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  32. ^ "Choir director's dream duet with Howard Jones". This is South Wales. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  33. ^ "Stuck in the '80s interview with host Steve Spears". Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  34. ^ "Featured Artists Coalition". Featured Artists Coalition. Archived from the original on 16 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  35. ^ "The Song That Changed My Life - Howard Jones". BYUtv. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  36. ^ "Barenaked Ladies: Last Summer on Earth 2016". Facebook.com. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  37. ^ "David Bowie sculpture vandalised 48 hours after unveiling". Irish News. 27 March 2018.
  38. ^ "Howard Jones Will Release New Studio Album "Transform" on May 10". Keyboard. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  39. ^ "Howard Jones - Official Website". Howardjones.com. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  40. ^ "Whatever happened to Eighties pop star Howard Jones?". 28 March 2015.
  41. ^ Jones, Howard. "Howard On Buddhism". Howardjones.com. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  42. ^ "Somerset - Entertainment - Howard Jones in Taunton". BBC. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  43. ^ Prasad, Anil (2018). "In conversation: Howard Jones". Godisinthetvzine.co.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  44. ^ Persaud, Joy. "If I ruled the world: Howard Jones". Reader's Digest. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
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