Intuitive Music

Howard Jones

Howard Jones is one of the key figures of the British synth pop scene during the late 70’s and early 80’s .

Born in 1955 in Southampton, U.K., Jones used to be a piano teacher and he got married to one of his pupils called Jan Smith, who bought him his first synthesizer with the money from an insurance that they got after a car crashed into their van injuring her badly. Jones started his musical career playing live with just drum machines and a synthesizer accompanied by a mime named Jed Hoile.

In 1983, Howard Jones started a solo career, hitting the UK top ten charts with “New Song”, despite of the allegations of plagiarism of Peter Gabriel’s 1977 song “Solsbury Hill”. During the forthcoming years, he reached the top charts in different occasions with synth pop classics like “What Is Love” (1984), “Hide And Seek” (1984), “Pearl In the Shell” (1984), “Things Can Only Get Better” (1985), and “Like to Get to Know You Well” (1984), which became an unofficial anthem for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

After a remix album, Jones released his second studio album “Dream Into Action” in 1985, introducing his own backing band which included the future Soul II Soul singer, Caron Wheeler, and his brother Martin on bass. The single “No-One Is To Blame” featured Phil Collins on drums and production.

In 1987, Howard Jones concentrated on production, songwriting and started his own label called Dtox Records. He also run a popular vegetarian restaurant, and lately in 2005 he competed took part of the popular American TV show Hit Me Baby One More Time.

Howard Jones has also performed with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby, and Phil Collins.