Howard Jones Human 39;s Lib Review

[Ptolomeo Shop]

Howardattended several schools in England including Leicester, and Rugby, Cardiff in Wales and of course High Wycombe. He went to the Royal Grammar School where he got ten "O" and two "A" levels. (Howard said, "They served me no purpose whatsoever") And despite his music teacher advising him not to take music "A" level he formed his first band called Warrior. Warrior drew its musical influences from bands like Genesis, and Emerson Lake and Palmer. Howard describes the music as being Electro Classical Rock!

Howard enrolled in the Royal Northern College of Music, in Manchester in 1974, where he studied classical piano. Whilst he was there he earned extra money doing the night shift on Piccadilly Radio. Every 20 minutes between Midnight and 6am he would play a selection of his own music, on a synthesizer. The sessions were supposed to be purely instrumental, but on occasions Howard could not resist singing, and as a result had several phone calls... to complain!!!

Howard used to give piano lessons. It is there he met Jan Smith, who he later married. It was whilst they was selling fruit and veg off the back of a van that a runaway vehicle crashed into the van, injuring Jan. She wasn't hurt badly, but Howard persuaded her to claim compensation. She used the money to buy Howard a synthesizer. The Shop delivered two by mistake and Howard liked the combination of the two so much, that he paid for the extra one. The shop knows him as "Honest Howard"!

Howard began performing as a solo artist, in the clubs and pubs in High Wycombe. It was at one of these shows that Howard noticed Jed Hoile dancing and performing mime to his songs. This was the start of a very impressive visual partnership that continued to 1987.

1979

Howard discovered the Synthesizer. He ordered one, but he was sent two by mistake. He was intrigued by their possibilities and began to compose music. He set his sights on a musical career, kicking off with gigs in and around High Wycombe. It was around this time that Jed Hoile joined Howard on stage providing colourful and graphic interpretations of Howard lyrics.

1980/1

Howard & Jan pursued agents, promoters and record company people, all in the hope of securing a record deal. The general response was incredulous "A One Man band, you must be joking.. It will never work!" Howard continued, undeterred.

1982:

May:

Howard played support for acappella band "The Flying Pickets" and "The Blues Band" at Friars in Aylesbury.

Howard met his future manager, David Stopps. By November, David had become Howard's manager. David's enthusiasm and experience added to Howard's musical talents, meant that things finally began to happen.

October:

Like To Get To Know You Well, the title to Howard's video release of a concert shot in his home town of High Wycombe.

Howard was awarded in the Smash Hits Readers Poll for the 4th Best Album of 1984 and the 7th Best Single for What is Love and 10th for Like To Get To Know You Well.

Howard says in Smash Hits when informed of the award for Humans Lib: "Did it? Bloody Hell, that's incredible! I'm really proud of 'Humans Lib' but I didn't expect it to do so well. I'm absolutely delighted because it came out in March and people still remember it now."

July:

Life In One Day makes the UK chart at #14 and on July 13th, Howard flys in during the middle of a world tour and performed an acoustic version of Hide And Seek at Wembley Arena as part of Live Aid.

May:

An album titled 'The Wycombe Compilation' is released, and features one of Howard's earliest studio recordings.

The track, 'What Can I Say?' was recorded at the Mark Angelo Studios on the 19th September 1981. The album features 12 tracks from artists from High Wycombe.

November:

Howard contributes Little Bit Of Snow to the Anti-Heroin Project charity album. Live In World, with the proceeds going to the Phoenix House rehabilitation centre for drug and alcohol abuse.

One to One peaks at #56 in the US. Last World Dream and Howard Jones Live are released as videos.

1987:

Howard opens a vegetarian restaurant, Nowhere, in New York, which burns down within 12 months.

He is included in many other performances for various causes including the Hurricane Irene benefit and a performance at Madison Square Gardens in New York during the US leg of his One To One tour.

Howard joins a host of the worlds musical establishment as a member of the "Supergroup" for the Princes Trust Concerts in London. Members include Tina Turner, Midge Ure, Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Young, Mark King, Eric Clapton & Bryan Adams.

nineties

1990:

November:

Howard contributes to the music of One World, One Voice, the brainchild of Kevin Godley. It was first played to over a billion people worldwide.

Howard sings "We will meet again" with Bob Geldolf, and features Dave Gilmour, guitarist with Pink Floyd.

1992:

April:

Lift Me Up makes the UK #52, taken from the East West released album In The Running.

During a short tour of North America, accompanied by Carol Steele, Howard plays a sell out gig at the Variety Arts Centre, Los Angeles. CA on April 28th. The show was recorded for future release.

Howard launches is own record label, dtox. Howard says, "dtox is a company I created in 1997 to provide a label for my own music to be released.

I found it very liberating to have so much control of my own musical and artistic destiny and then started seeing dtox as an umbrella for many other projects where other artists could have the same freedom to express their music and art."

December:

After a 2 year sabbatical, Howard has returned to live work with last years unplugged club tour across the US, followed by a performance at the Jazz Cafe in London and a show on Monday 16th December at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London with the Howard Jones Electronic Orchestra playing songs form a forthcoming release of his album Angels and Lovers.

1998:

July 6th:

Howard released on his own dtox label, the single Tomorrow Is Now. He also played the first of 2 nights at Ollies Diner in Ascot, England with his new band, Nick Beggs (ex Kajagoogoo) on Bass and Chapman stick, Robin Boult (Fish) on Guitar and Kevin Wilkinson (ex China Crisis) on drums. The Gigs continue to Camden at the Jazz Cafe (8th July) and down to Southampton (9th July)

July 14th:

Ark 21 records released Howard's new album People. With a combination of new tracks and many tracks from Angels and Lovers, it should end the disappointment for the fans who missed Angels and Lovers. The UK release date is Oct 26th

July 23rd:

The opening show of The Big Rewind tour: Culture Club, featuring Howard Jones and Human League is held at Chastain Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

1999:

February 8:

A new year. Howard releases the first single from his album, People entitled Let The People Have Their Say.

Despite huge airplay on BBC Radio 2, the single only manages #99 in the UK charts.

On the 15th, Let The People Have Their Say - The Sequel is released.

October/November:

Howard plays 8 dates in Germany Austria and Switzerland. Due to prior commitments, Nick Beggs and Guy Richman were replaced by new drummer Geoffe Holroyde and bassist Steve Lawson.

October - December:

Howard embarked on the Nokia Night Of The Proms tour around Europe, covering Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and Holland. He was backed by a 72 piece orchestra and 50 piece choir

2001:

January 31st: The world's first Howard Jones Flash Animation on a Howard Jones website. The unofficial Howard Jones website run by Glenn Kelly, named howardjones.europe features an animation that consists of a layered section of Howard's track Let The People Have Their Say.

July 26:

Howard plays keyboards for The Beatles legend Ringo Starr during the 28 date US Ringo Starr AllStar Band tour. The 2001 All Starr Band boasts an entirely new line-up of luminaries, including ex-Supertramp frontman Roger Hodgson, dance-music percussionist Sheila E., former Mott the Hoople singer Ian Hunter and King Crimson/Emerson, Lake and Palmer singer-bassist Greg Lake.

September 26:

Howard embarks on a UK tour which becomes known as The Peaceful Tour. During this tour, Howard attempts a ground breaking first. At each gig, fans were able to purchase on the night a live recording of that gig on CD.

March 31st :

Following Thelma & John Jones' retirement from the Howard Jones Information Service, Howard performs a tribute to his parents at The Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead England.

An acoustic concert with Howard on grand piano and Robin Boult on acoustic guitars.

September:

Howard returns to Salt Lake City in the US where he plays 2 sets, one acoustic and one electric. He is joined on stage by Robin Boult on guitars, and Shaz and Robbie from dba on vocals and live mixing.

October 24th:

Howard received an award at the BMI awards at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

The award is for No One Is To Blame. It is in recognition of the song No One Is To Blame as being one of the most played records on US radio in 2000/2001.

July:

Howard heads off for the US East coast to perform dates in and around the New York area. Howard performs on the WB11 TV stations "Morning News" performing Everlasting Love and No One Is To Blame on the piano.

2003:

September 20th:

Howard performs one of his most important concerts to date. Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the release of New Song, Howard plays a sell out concert at London's Shepherds Bush Empire.

November 17th:

A special double CD release to coincide with the concert from Warner Music which includes a brand new 'Very Best Of' and a second limited edition CD which features single B Sides and other rare tracks never before released on CD, which fans and collectors have been demanding for years. The Very Best Of also includes a brand new track especially recorded this year titled 'Revolution of The Heart"

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