Joe Jackson (musician): Difference between revisions
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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Born in [[Burton upon Trent]], Staffordshire, David Jackson (as he was then known) grew up in [[Portsmouth]] in the [[Paulsgrove]] area and he attended the [[City of Portsmouth Boys' School]]. His parents later moved to [[Gosport]] when he was a teenager. |
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He initially learned to play the violin but soon switched to piano and prevailed on his dad to install one in the hall of their Paulsgrove council house. From the age of 16, he played in bars, and won a scholarship to study [[musical composition]] at London's [[Royal Academy of Music]]. |
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Jackson's first band, in Gosport, was Edward Bear (not to be confused with the 1970s Canadian band fronted by [[Larry Evoy]]). The band was later renamed Edwin Bear and later Arms and Legs, but dissolved in 1976 after two unsuccessful [[single (music)|singles]]. Although he was still known as David Jackson while in Arms & Legs, it was around this time that Jackson picked up the nickname "Joe", based on his perceived resemblance to the puppet character [[Joe 90]]. He then spent some time in the [[cabaret]] circuit to make money to record his own [[demo (music)|demos]]. |
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In 1978, a record producer heard his tape, and got him signed to [[A&M Records]]. |
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The album ''[[Look Sharp! (Joe Jackson album)|Look Sharp!]]'' was released in 1979, followed by ''[[I'm the Man (Joe Jackson album)|I'm the Man]]'' (also 1979) and ''[[Beat Crazy]]'' in 1980. He also collaborated with [[Lincoln Thompson]] in [[reggae]] crossover. |
The album ''[[Look Sharp! (Joe Jackson album)|Look Sharp!]]'' was released in 1979, followed by ''[[I'm the Man (Joe Jackson album)|I'm the Man]]'' (also 1979) and ''[[Beat Crazy]]'' in 1980. He also collaborated with [[Lincoln Thompson]] in [[reggae]] crossover. |
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[[File:Joe Jackson2.jpg|thumb|220px|right|Jackson at the [[El Mocambo]], [[Toronto]], 21 May 1979]] |
[[File:Joe Jackson2.jpg|thumb|220px|right|Jackson at the [[El Mocambo]], [[Toronto]], 21 May 1979]] |
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Revision as of 19:53, 29 September 2013
Joe Jackson | |
|---|---|
 Jackson, performing in Arizona, summer 1982 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | David Ian Jackson |
| Born | 11 August 1954 Burton upon Trent, England |
| Genres | Punk rock/ska (early), New Wave, jazz pop, jazz, classical |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, author |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano, keyboards, organ, saxophone, harmonica, melodica, synthesizer, accordion, vibraphone |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Labels | A&M, Sony |
| Website | joejackson |
Joe Jackson (born David Ian Jackson, 11 August 1954[1]) is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001.[2] He is probably best known for the 1979 hit song and first single "Is She Really Going Out with Him?", which still gets extensive US FM radio airplay; for his 1982 Top 10 hit, "Steppin' Out"; and for his 1984 success with "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)". He was popular for his pop/rock and New Wave music early on before moving to more eclectic, though less commercially successful, pop/jazz/classical hybrids.
Biography
Born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, David Jackson (as he was then known) grew up in Portsmouth in the Paulsgrove area and he attended the City of Portsmouth Boys' School. His parents later moved to Gosport when he was a teenager.
He initially learned to play the violin but soon switched to piano and prevailed on his dad to install one in the hall of their Paulsgrove council house. From the age of 16, he played in bars, and won a scholarship to study musical composition at London's Royal Academy of Music.
Jackson's first band, in Gosport, was Edward Bear (not to be confused with the 1970s Canadian band fronted by Larry Evoy). The band was later renamed Edwin Bear and later Arms and Legs, but dissolved in 1976 after two unsuccessful singles. Although he was still known as David Jackson while in Arms & Legs, it was around this time that Jackson picked up the nickname "Joe", based on his perceived resemblance to the puppet character Joe 90. He then spent some time in the cabaret circuit to make money to record his own demos.
In 1978, a record producer heard his tape, and got him signed to A&M Records.
The album Look Sharp! was released in 1979, followed by I'm the Man (also 1979) and Beat Crazy in 1980. He also collaborated with Lincoln Thompson in reggae crossover.
In 1981, Jackson produced an album for the British power pop group The Keys. The Keys Album was the group's only LP.[3]
The Joe Jackson Band toured extensively. After the break-up of the band, Jackson took a break and recorded an album of old-style swing and blues tunes, Jumpin' Jive, featuring songs of Cab Calloway, Lester Young, Glenn Miller, and most prominently, Louis Jordan. The album, and associated single release, was credited to Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive.[2]
Jackson's 1982 album Night and Day was Jackson's only studio album to reach either the United States or UK Top 10, peaking at No. 4 (US) and at No. 3 (UK), and the cuts "Steppin' Out" and "Breaking Us In Two" were chart hits. The tracks "Real Men" and "A Slow Song" pointed obliquely to New York City's early 1980s gay culture.[4]
Almost two years later, Jackson recorded the UK No. 14 album Body and Soul, also heavily influenced by pop and jazz standards and salsa, showcasing the US No. 15 hit single "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)".
Jackson played piano on Joan Armatrading's 1985 album Secret Secrets.
In 1986, he collaborated with Suzanne Vega on the single "Left of Center" from Pretty in Pink's soundtrack (with Vega singing and Jackson playing piano).
Jackson followed with the album Big World, with all-new songs recorded live in front of an audience instructed to remain silent while music was playing (they slip up once during the breakdown of "Soul Kiss"). Released in 1986, it was a three-sided double record; the fourth side consisted of a single centering groove and a label stating "there is no music on this side". The instrumental album "Will Power" (1987), with heavy classical and jazz influences, set the stage for things to come later, but before he left pop behind, he put out two more albums, Blaze of Glory (which he performed in its entirety during the subsequent tour) and Laughter & Lust.
Sony Classical released his Symphony No. 1 in 1999, for which he received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2001.[5]
In 1995, Joe Jackson contributed his version of "Statue of Liberty" on a tribute album to the English band XTC called "A Testimonial Dinner".
In 2003, he reunited his original quartet[2] for the album Volume 4, and a lengthy tour.
In 2004, Jackson performed a cover of Pulp's "Common People" with William Shatner for Shatner's album Has Been.
Jackson's album Rain was released by Rykodisc on 28 January 2008 in the UK and one day later in the US.[6]
Joe Jackson and the Bigger Band, featuring Regina Carter, played fourteen shows in the USA and 21 shows in Europe from September to November 2012.[7]
Other activities
Jackson has actively campaigned against smoking bans in both the United States and the United Kingdom,[8] writing a 2005 pamphlet The Smoking Issue, a 2007 essay Smoke, lies and the nanny state[9][10] and issuing a satirical song ("In 20-0-3") on the subject.[11]
He described his enthusiasm for real ale in his autobiography, A Cure For Gravity, published in 1999, which Jackson has described as a "book about music, thinly disguised as a memoir". It traces his working class upbringing in Portsmouth and charts his musical life from childhood until his twenty-fourth birthday. Life as a pop star, he insisted, was hardly worth writing about.[12]
Discography
Original albums
- Look Sharp! (1979, A&M) No. 20 US, No. 40 UK
- I'm the Man (1979, A&M) No. 22 US, No. 12 UK
- Beat Crazy (1980, A&M) No. 41 US, No. 42 UK
- Jumpin' Jive (1981, A&M) No. 42 US, No. 14 UK
- Night and Day (1982, A&M) No. 4 US, No. 3 UK
- Mike's Murder Movie Soundtrack (1983, A&M) No. 64 US
- Body and Soul (1984, A&M) No. 20 US, No. 14 UK
- Big World (1986, A&M) No. 34 US, No. 41 UK
- Will Power (1987, A&M) No. 131 US
- Tucker Original Soundtrack (1988, A&M)
- Blaze of Glory (1989, A&M) No. 61 US, No. 36 UK
- Laughter & Lust (1991, Virgin) No. 116 US, No. 41 UK
- Night Music (1994, Virgin)
- Heaven & Hell (1997, Sony)
- Symphony No. 1 (1999, Sony)
- Night and Day II (2000, Sony)
- Volume 4 (2003, Rykodisc)
- Rain (2008, Rykodisc)
- The Duke (2012, Razor & Tie) No. 1 US Contemporary Jazz Albums chart[2][13]
Live albums
- Big World (1986) Recorded live; audience asked to remain quiet so no applause or chat-ups.
- Live 1980/86 (1988, A&M) No. 91 US, No. 66 UK
- Laughter & Lust Live (1991 Sharp Practice Inc. ; Warner Music Vision) [Live at State Theatre, Sydney, Australia, September 20, 1991]
- Summer in the City: Live in New York (2000, Sony)
- Two Rainy Nights (2002, Great Big Island)
- AfterLife (2004, Rykodisc)
- Live at the BBC (2009, Spectrum)
- Live Music (2011, Razor & Tie)
- Live in Germany 1980 (2011 Immortal)
Compilation albums
- Stepping Out: The Very Best of Joe Jackson (1990) No. 7 UK
- This Is It! (The A&M Years 1979–1989) – Joe Jackson) (1997, A&M)
- Joe Jackson – Collected (2010, Universal Nashville)[2][14]
Video albums
- Steppin' Out: The Videos (The Very Best of Joe Jackson) (2001, A&M)[15]
- Joe Jackson – 25th Anniversary Special (2003, Image Entertainment)[16]
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK[2] | AUS | CAN | GER | NL[17] | NZ[18] | US Hot 100[19] | US Alt.[19] | US Rock[19] | |||
| 1978 | "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Look Sharp! |
| 1979 | "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" (re-issue) | 13 | 15 | 9 | — | 46 | 18 | 21 | — | — | |
| "Sunday Papers" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "One More Time" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Fools in Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "I'm the Man" | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | I'm the Man | |
| "It's Different for Girls" | 5 | 85 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980 | "Kinda Kute" | — | — | 91 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "The Harder They Come" | — | — | — | — | 34 | — | — | — | — | (Extended play) | |
| 1981 | "Jumpin' Jive" | 43 | 61 | — | — | — | 32 | — | — | — | Jumpin' Jive |
| 1982 | "Real Men" | — | 6 | — | — | 17 | 48 | — | — | — | Night and Day |
| "Steppin' Out" | 6 | 30 | 5 | 28 | — | 21 | 6 | — | 7 | ||
| 1983 | "Breaking Us in Two" | 59 | 90 | 40 | — | — | 35 | 18 | — | — | |
| "Memphis" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 85 | — | — | Mike's Murder (soundtrack) | |
| 1984 | "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)" | — | 96 | 30 | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | Body & Soul |
| "Happy Ending" (featuring Elaine Caswell) | 58 | 47 | — | — | 19 | — | 57 | — | — | ||
| "Be My Number Two" | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986 | "Left of Centre" (Suzanne Vega featuring Joe Jackson) | 32 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Pretty in Pink (soundtrack) |
| "Right and Wrong" | — | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | Big World | |
| 1988 | "Is She Really Going Out with Him? (Live)" | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | Live 1980/86 |
| 1989 | "(He's a) Shape in a Drape" | — | 87 | 73 | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | Tucker (soundtrack) |
| "Nineteen Forever" | — | 79 | 58 | — | 44 | — | — | 4 | 16 | Blaze of Glory | |
| 1991 | "Obvious Song" | — | — | 64 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 28 | Laughter & Lust |
| "Stranger Than Fiction" | — | — | 79 | 53 | 71 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Oh Well" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 25 | ||
| 2001 | "Stranger Than You" | — | — | — | — | 91 | — | — | — | — | Night and Day II |
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||
References
- ^ "Allmusic biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 274. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Mike Paulsen (2009). "The Keys : The Keys Album". New Wave Outpost. Archived from the original on 21 March 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
- ^ ""NPR Weekend Edition Sunday: Gay Pop Music", 22 June 2003". Npr.org. 22 June 2003. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ "Allmusic ((( Joe Jackson > Charts & Awards > Grammy Awards )))".
- ^ The new album "RAIN". Rykodisc press release
- ^ Fall 2012 Tour at Jackson's web site
- ^ 'Pro-choice' musician attacks "systematic demonisation" of smokers. Forestonline.org. 22 February 2005
- ^ Smoke, Lies and the Nanny State
- ^ "The Official Website of Joe Jackson". Joejackson.com. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ "Joe Jackson.com". Joe Jackson.com. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ A Cure for Gravity, 1999, autobiography ISBN 1-86230-083-6
- ^ "Allmusic ((( Joe Jackson > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))".
- ^ "Collected: Joe Jackson: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "Steppin' Out – The Videos (The Very Best of Joe Jackson): Joe Jackson: Movies & TV". Amazon.com. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "Joe Jackson – 25th Anniversary Special: Allison Cornell, Joe Jackman, Roberto Rodriguez, Joe Jackson, Graham Maby, Sue Hadjopolous, Andy Ezrin, Catherine Bent, Lee Cantelon: Movies & TV". Amazon.com. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl – Dutch charts portal". Dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ "charts.org.nz – New Zealand charts portal". charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ a b c "Allmusic ((( Joe Jackson > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))".
Literature
- A Cure for Gravity, 1999, autobiography ISBN 1-86230-083-6
External links
- Official website
- Joe Jackson archive by Andreas Wostrack
- Joe Jackson's career on A&M Records with gallery, international discography
- Joe Jackson biography at Allmusic website
- Video-interview with Joe Jackson on revu.nl, 31 January 2008
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- Use dmy dates from May 2011
- 1954 births
- Living people
- English male singers
- English New Wave musicians
- English songwriters
- English singer-songwriters
- Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
- Musicians from Hampshire
- People from Paulsgrove
- Grammy Award-winning artists
- Rykodisc artists
- E1 Music artists
- English expatriates in Germany
- People from Burton upon Trent