He is the eldest of three boys. His birthplace is Southampton, England, and he spent his early years in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, and attended the Royal Grammar School. He now lives with his family in Somerset, England.
When he was young, he used to give piano lessons. One of his clients was a girl named Jan Smith, who he later married. Whilst working with her, a vehicle crashed into their van, injuring Jan. She claimed compensation and used the money to buy Howard a synthesiser, a Moog Prodigy. The shop delivered two by mistake, and Howard liked the combination of the two so much that he paid for the extra one.
He hit the charts in 1983 with a song called "New Song," which made it into the UK top ten. Speaking with Songfacts, Jones explained the song is his manifesto, and why he wanted to get in the music business and write songs to begin with. Said Jones: "I was working in the factory at the time - I was doing the gigs at night and I was working in the factory. And I wanted to say to people, 'You can. It is possible to do what you really want to do if you've got enough guts and determination. You can do what you're really good at in this life if you set your mind to it.' And so really that's what that song's about. It's about letting go of fear and seeing both sides of an argument and throwing off the things that hold you back mentally."
Jones subsequently had three more hits over the next twelve months and a UK Number 1 album, Human's Lib. He acquired a hardcore fanbase made up of both starstruck teenagers and more mature music lovers, who saw the musicianship which went into the electronic sounds of his songs. His mother ran his fan club. Jones was a close temporal and stylistic contemporary of Nik Kershaw, and the two musicians were often conflated in the affections of the contemporary pop audience.
Howard was known as a respectable face of pop, combining innovative synthesiser music with strong feelings on animal rights and life's excesses. In his early days, he performed with a mime artist called Jed Hoile, who used to do improvised choreography while doused in white paint as Howard played behind him.
In the summer of 1984, he released a single called "Like To Get To Know You Well", which he said was 'dedicated to the original spirit of the Olympic Games'. Although it wasn't an official Olympic anthem for the Games in Los Angeles that summer, it caught on and was a huge worldwide hit. The sleeve featured the song title in ten different languages; while Howard sang the title line in French and German on the extended version. The song appeared in the film Better Off Dead.
Howard's second album was a ground breaking 'remix' album. It contained six songs, all but one of which had been previously released, but which appeared in elongated formats, including the multi-lingual version of "Like To Get To Know You Well". The album was called The 12 Inch Album and the sleeve featured a miniature Howard standing next to a 12-inch ruler.
When he released his second studio album, Dream Into Action, in 1985, he introduced his own backing band, including future Soul II Soul singer Caron Wheeler as one third of female backing vocal trio Afrodiziak. Playing bass guitar, meanwhile, was Howard's own brother Martin, who had to have an extra string added to his instrument to play some of Howard's bass lines, which were originally played on a keyboard without regard for the range of a real bass guitar. One of the singles released from this album, "No One Is To Blame", was later re-recorded and featured Phil Collins as drummer and producer.
In July 1985, Howard performed at Wembley Stadium as part of the Live Aid concert, singing his 1984 hit "Hide And Seek" while playing a piano belonging to Freddie Mercury.
Howard had his last UK Top 40 hit in 1986 and thereafter concentrated on production, songwriting and running a successful vegetarian restaurant, though he had Billboard Top 10 success in the States in the 1990s. His eldest son, Oisín (pronounced Osheen), was born in 1985 and is now an actor.
In 2005, he competed on the American TV show Hit Me Baby One More Time, losing to Irene Cara. Although he lost the in-studio vote to Cara, he won the online poll vote.
There are other artists with the same name:
2. Howard Jones is the current lead singer of American metalcore bands Killswitch Engage and Blood Has Been Shed.
Jones resides in Connecticut. His first success was in Connecticut with the band Blood Has Been Shed. After the release of The Novella of Uriel, the band went on tour, but Jones was eventually approached for a bigger project. Howard Jones replaced the lead singer of Killswitch Engage, Jesse Leach, in July of 2002, shortly after the release of Alive or Just Breathing, Killswitch Engage's Roadrunner Records debut album.
Meanwhile, Blood Has Been Shed released their third album, Spirals in 2003. Critical reviews were mixed, with some saying the album was a bit stray from the music found on I Dwell and Novella, while fans found it to be the band's most sonically-challenging album yet.
The first time KSE fans heard Jones they were impressed by him. Later he would be heard on the song "When Darkness Falls", which was first released on the soundtrack for the movie Freddy vs. Jason. Finally, Killswitch Engage released their first album with Jones as the new singer, as well as Blood Has Been Shed drummer Justin Foley. The End of Heartache would spawn two successful singles, "Rose of Sharyn" and the Grammy-nominated title track, "The End of Heartache". There was a minor spot of controversy with some fans over the Grammy nomination, as the song that was picked was a remixed version that would eventually appear on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack. The differences between the original recording and the remixed version are the fact that the song is sung in a traditional singing style rather than using the original scream track that appears on the album, and several sections of the song have been shortened for a more commercially dynamic vision.
In November 2006, Killswitch Engage released their fourth album (and second with Howard Jones) entitled As Daylight Dies. The album has spawned the singles "My Curse" and "Arms of Sorrow", and it has been cited by the band through numerous interviews that the album recalls influences from bands in the NOLA music scene, as well as metal bands like Pantera and Machine Head.
Despite his front man role in Killswitch Engage, Jones is still the lead singer for Blood Has Been Shed.
Aside from singing, Jones has also taken on the role of a manager to new and upcoming artists. Currently, he manages two bands, Twelve Tribes, Mikoto, and also the producer Zeuss.
He is also known for his vocal styles, which include deep, booming roars, a higher, raspier scream, and operatic clean vocals. The clean style is absent from most of his work with Blood Has Been Shed, however, with Killswitch Engage, he usually makes use of all of his vocal styles in almost every song, particularly in As Daylight Dies and Holy Diver.
3. Howard Jones is an English folk singer and musician. He was a member of The Electropathics and currently performs with Albireo and as a solo performer.
Automaton
Howard Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With no past and no future
He seemed to know your dreams
Replace tears with laughter
Street corner whispers
Would mention his name
Selfish? benevolent?
Some say he's perfect
Some say a spy
A hidden power
They all wonder why
The rumors mounted
But still no fact?
I need to find out
Some say perfect hidden power
We all wonder why
Questions unanswered
Suspicion alerted
I went round to his place
If felt quite deserted
I climbed the stairs to where
His body lay without motion
No spirit lives in there
The cord had been broken
His skin was reptile
No life in there
Not young not old
A long hollow glare
His breath had stopped
No hearts beat there
Is this a man
Should I believe hidden power
They all wondered why
My attention was caught
By a sound from the door
Panic gripped the mind
What lay in store
A being stared at me
Benevolent, not cold
Automaton - he is controlled
His skin was reptile.....
Automaton - no life in there
No past and no future
Is this a man
Automaton - no life in there
No past and not future
Is this a man
The lyrics of "Automaton" by Howard Jones describe a mysterious figure that appears without a known past or future. This enigmatic person seemed to possess an intimate knowledge of people's dreams and could replace their tears with laughter. However, rumors swirled that this stranger was either a perfect being or a spy with an unknown hidden power. The singer of the song is suspicious of this automaton and decides to investigate only to find a lifeless body with reptilian skin. The song concludes with the singer being confronted by the automaton who is benevolent but entirely controlled by outside forces.
Howard Jones's "Automaton" explores the themes of power, control, and identity. The automaton is a physical representation of a person that has been stripped of their humanity and is purely an instrument of control. The rumors surrounding this figure only add to the sense of mystery and power that they possess. However, the final revelation that the automaton is being controlled by outside forces not only dispels the rumors but also redefines what it means to be human. Jones's lyrics suggest that humanity is not just about having a physical body but also about autonomy and the ability to make choices.
Line by Line Meaning
He arrived on the scene
A new figure appeared in the vicinity
With no past and no future
This person has no known history or prospects
He seemed to know your dreams
This person was oddly attuned to your personal aspirations
Replace tears with laughter
This new person brought an air of joy capable of obfuscating personal sadness
Street corner whispers
Speculations began circulating in the local community
Would mention his name
This person quickly became a topic of discussion in everyday conversation
Selfish? benevolent?
Divergent hypotheses were postulated about this individual's true intent
What was his game
People were bewildered and curious about this person's motivations
Some say he's perfect
There were rumors circulating of this person's impeccable character
Some say a spy
Others speculated this person was a covert agent
A hidden power
There was a suggestion that this person possessed some type of concealed capability
They all wonder why
People were perplexed about this person's existence and purpose
The rumors mounted
The rumors circulated and became increasingly pervasive
But still no fact?
However, there was no concrete evidence to support these rumors
I need to find out
The singer felt a need to uncover the truth about this person
Some say perfect hidden power
There were rumors of this person being exceptionally skilled with a concealed talent
We all wonder why
There was collective bewilderment about this person's identity and purpose
Questions unanswered
There were several unresolved inquiries regarding this person
Suspicion alerted
The singer became wary of this person's true identity
I went round to his place
The artist visited this person's residence
If felt quite deserted
The house was vacant and lonely
I climbed the stairs to where
The artist ascended to an upper floor of the house
His body lay without motion
The person was lying still and unresponsive
No spirit lives in there
A life force was not present in this individual
The cord had been broken
There was a sense of disconnect or decay regarding this person
His skin was reptile
The person's skin texture appeared unearthly
No life in there
The person appeared to have expired or was absent of a soul
Not young not old
There was a sense of ambiguity surrounding this person's age
A long hollow glare
The person's appearance was not comforting, and conveyed emptiness
His breath had stopped
This person was no longer breathing
No hearts beat there
This person was essentially dead or a corpse
Is this a man
The artist was questioning whether this entity was genuinely human
My attention was caught
The artist was distracted by a sound nearby
By a sound from the door
The sound was originating from a nearby door
Panic gripped the mind
The singer was seized with fear
What lay in store
The artist was uncertain about what kind of encounter was about to occur
A being stared at me
Another person was present in the room with the singer
Benevolent, not cold
This new person appeared kind, and not unfriendly
Automaton - he is controlled
This new person was an automated machine, under the control of another entity
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Howard Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Olivia 73captain73
He arrived on the scene
With no past and no future
He seemed to know your dreams
Replace tears with laughter
Street corner whispers
Would mention his name
Selfish? Benevolent?
What was his game?
Some say, he's perfect
Some say, a spy
A hidden power
They all wonder, why
The rumors mounted
But still no fact
I need to find out
Some say, perfect hidden power
We all wonder, why
Questions unanswered
Suspicion alerted
I went round to his place
If felt quite deserted
I climbed the stairs to where
His body lay without motion
No spirit lives in there
The cord had been broken
His skin was reptile
No life in there
Not young not old
A long hollow glare
His breath had stopped
No hearts beat there
Is this a man?
Should I believe hidden power
They all wondered, why
My attention was caught
By a sound from the door
Panic gripped the mind
What lay in store
A being stared at me
Benevolent, not cold
Automaton, he is controlled
His skin was reptile
No life in there
Not young not old
A long hollow glare
His breath had stopped
No hearts beat there
Is this a man?
Should I believe hidden power
They all wondered, why
Automaton, no life in there
No past and no future
Is this a man
Automaton, no life in there
No past and no future
Automaton, no life in there
No past and no future
Is this a man
Automaton, no life in there
No past and no future
Automaton, no life in there
No past and no future
Is this a man
Automaton, no life in there
No past and no future
Is this a man
Mackchannel
This is the kind of rando music that characterized the 80s, and part of why that was such an interesting time. Maybe people are doing similar now, and I'm just not aware of it, but this contextless song about a benevolent robot was the sort of imaginative stuff that was commonplace when I was growing up.
RIXRADvidz
I was way ahead of the Wave when I brought Howard back to ALBQ with me on cassette in my Walkman. Electronic Music was So New. New Wave.
PAUL JACKSON
Classic 80s album.
chorniyLebed
great bass line
dazman Brown
Brilliant thanks
pierpaolospallino
thank you Howard
Tomislav Potočar
WE do some things and actions too automatically, without thinking about consequences.
Tomislav Potočar
MANNY MORA. Thank you for the greetings and for reading my comment.