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Jack Hues

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Jack Hues
Birth nameJeremy Allan Ryder
Born (1954-12-10) 10 December 1954 (age 70)
OriginGillingham, Kent, England
GenresNew wave music
Occupation(s)Musician, singer, guitarist
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano
Years active1977–1992, 1994–1995, 2005–present
Labels
Websitewww.jackhues.com

Jeremy Allan Ryder, better known as Jack Hues, (born 10 December 1954) is an English musician, who is best known for forming and fronting the 1980s British new wave band, Wang Chung.[1][2][3] Hues also was a member of the one-off band Strictly Inc.[4]

Early life

Jack Hues was born in Gillingham, Kent, England, the oldest of four children of Robina (née Pratt) and Allan Sidney Ryder. He was an avid listener to artists such as the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix before becoming interested in progressive rock groups like Yes and Genesis.[5] Hues then found a passion in classical music, and attended London's Goldsmiths College to study music. After three years, he went on to attend the Royal College of Music. It was at this time that Hues befriended Dave Burnand, who went on to be a member of Huang Chung. After one year at RCM, he decided on leaving to pursue a career in music.[5]

Wang Chung era (1977–1991)

In 1977, Hues answered an ad in the British weekly music magazine, Melody Maker. This was the first time he met future Wang Chung bass guitarist, Nick Feldman.[6] With the rising punk music movement around England in the late 1970s, the two formed together as 'The Intellektuals' in mid-1977.[6] Two years later, Hues & Feldman formed the band, '57 Men'. While in 57 Men, the two met future Wang Chung drummer, Darren Costin. Like their first band together, Hues and Feldman broke up within eighteen months, but took along Costin.[6][7]

In late 1979 the threesome became referred to as Huang Chung. They released several singles in 1980 for the independent music company, Rewind Records.[8] In May 1981 Huang Chung signed to Arista Records for a two-album deal. The next year the band released their self-titled debut album. By 1983 the band's name was changed to Wang Chung, and Hues became the band's lead vocalist.[8] After the summer tour for Points on the Curve in 1984 Costin left the band to pursue a solo career.[8] Despite not having a full-time drummer, Wang Chung continued to thrive. For the next six years, Wang Chung enjoyed success, especially in the UK and US.

Post-Wang Chung era (1991–present)

Before Wang Chung's break-up in 1991 Hues scored the soundtrack of the 1990 film The Guardian.[9] The director of the film, William Friedkin, chose Hues because of his work on his 1985 film, To Live and Die in L.A.. He also made a solo album, The Anatomy Lesson, in 1992 for Sony Records. However, for reasons unknown his solo debut album was shelved.[9][10] In 1994, Tony Banks of Genesis heard samples of Hues’ work. He admired it and asked him to compose a new album together. On 11 September 1995 Strictly Inc was released. The album received mixed reviews.[4] In 1997 Hues and Nick Feldman briefly reunited for the release of the compilation Everybody Wang Chung Tonight: Wang Chung's Greatest Hits.[11]

In 2000, Wang Chung performed in the Club 80's Flashback Tour and headlined a tour of their own afterwards. In 2005, Wang Chung appeared on the competition reality show Hit Me, Baby, One More Time to perform "Everybody Have Fun Tonight". They lost the round to Irene Cara. Around the same time, Hues began teaching songwriting at Christchurch University in Canterbury.[12]

In 2003 Hues was one of the founding members of a jazz-influenced quintet with Sam Bailey called Illuminated. Their inspirations included Miles Davis, Johannes Brahms, and Aphex Twin.[13] Eventually the quintet became The Quartet. Their first album Illuminated was released in 2007 and their second Shattering in 2008 – both released to critical acclaim.[14][15] The Quartet is signed with Helium Records, headed by Chris Hughes who helped produce Wang Chung's Points on the Curve in 1984.[15] In 2010 The Quartet joined forces with Syd Arthur, a Canterbury psychedelic jazz band whose members studied with Hues while at Christchurch University.[16] Together the two groups played a medley of tracks from Soft Machine, a rearranged Stravinsky violin concerto, and the Beck song "Nobody's Fault But My Own" at the Orange Street Music Club.[16] In 2012 both bands reunited inside a barn to record the Beck song, and in 2019 it was released on Bandcamp for purchase through digital download and vinyl.

In 2011, Hues wrote the music for his son Jack Ryder's first film Act of Memory. In 2020, Hues will release his first solo album, Primitif, which debuts in March. The album has so far produced two singles, "Whitstable Beach" and "Winter".[17]

Personal life

Ryder's stage name, "Jack Hues", is a play on the French phrase, j'accuse, which means "I accuse" in English.[7] He has a daughter and two sons, one of whom is the actor Jack Ryder.

References

  1. ^ Leeds, Jeff (18 April 2007). "Remaking Old Hits to Earn New Money". Nytimes.com.
  2. ^ "Guitar World". Guitarworld.com.
  3. ^ "TAZER UP! Jack Hues from Wang Chung on Music, the '80s & Their New Recording". HuffPost.com. 21 February 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Archive - Jack Hues Strictly Inc". WangChung. 31 July 2008. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Archive - Jack Hues". WangChung. 11 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  6. ^ a b c "Biography 1975 - 1979". WangChung. 15 June 2008. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  7. ^ a b Stephen SPAZ Schnee (1 August 2013). "An EXCLUSIVE Interview With WANG CHUNG's Jack Hues!". Discussion Magazine.com.
  8. ^ a b c "Biography 1980 - 1984". WangChung. 19 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Archive - Jack Hues Other Projects". WangChung. 1 November 2007. Archived from the original on 1 November 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  10. ^ "The Popdose Interview: Jack Hues". Popdose. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Biography 1995 - 1999". WangChung. 31 July 2007. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  12. ^ "Interview with Jack Hues from Wang Chung and The Quartet". Also Sprach FraKathustra. 9 April 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  13. ^ "Biography 2000 - 2004". WangChung. 19 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  14. ^ "About - Jack Hues and The Quartet". Jack Hues and The Quartet. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  15. ^ a b "Biography 2005 - 2010". WangChung. 31 July 2008. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  16. ^ a b Thompson, Gareth (16 March 2019). "Album Review: Jack Hues & The Quartet Ft. Syd Arthur – Nobody's Fault But My Own". Moof Mag. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  17. ^ Ewing, Jerry (15 November 2019). "Jack Hues premieres video for debut single Whitstable Beach with Prog". LouderSound. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
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