Howard Jones (British musician)
John Howard Jones (born 23 February 1955)[1] is a British 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.
Howard Jones
John Howard Jones
23 February 1955
Southampton, Hampshire, England
- Musician
- singer
- songwriter
- Vocals
- keyboards
- drums
1982–present
Early life[edit]
Born in Southampton to Welsh parents, Jones spent his early years in Rhiwbina, Cardiff, South Wales, where he attended Heol Llanishen Fach primary school and then Whitchurch Grammar School.[6] Jones is the eldest of four boys. His brothers, Roy, Martin, and Paul, are all musicians in their own right.[7] Jones began taking piano lessons at age seven.[7] He later attended the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.[8] 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 met Buddhist practitioner Bill Bryant, who wrote lyrics for some of Jones's songs and was a major influence in this period.[9] The Jones brothers (minus Howard) had a band called Red Beat in the late 1970s.[10]
In the media[edit]
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."[20]
Personal life[edit]
Jones is married to Jan Smith.[38] 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."[39]
As of 2006, Jones resided in Creech St Michael, near Taunton, Somerset.[40] Jones was a vegetarian for 42 years and became a vegan in 2019.[41][42]