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.
Hunt the Self
Howard Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listening to friends who keep filling me up with ideas
Having deep talks with scholars who sound so fine
Hearing this sham is like getting drunk on cheap wine
Well it's time for a change
I've got to move on
There's got to be more than this
Look in better places gonna look inside
Gonna get higher something is pulling me on
Breaking down the old ways feeling no regret
Gone are the shaky sands I've been building on
Well it's time for a change
Well I've lost lots of friends
I've got to move on
By sticking to my ground
There's got to be more than this
I don't give a damn
The feeling is strong
Just look what I've found
Here I come now got no time to frown
Nothing in my way now nothing can bring me down
Feel that surge open the doors around
Higher and higher the world is my hunting ground
Well it's time for a change
I've got to move on
There's got to be more than this
The feeling is strong
In "Hunt the Self," Howard Jones explores the theme of self-discovery and personal growth. The song begins with Jones reflecting on how he has wasted his time for years by listening to friends who were full of ideas but lacked substance. Listening to scholars who only sound good on the surface is like getting drunk on cheap wine - superficially satisfying but ultimately empty. Jones realizes that it's time for a change and he needs to move on to something deeper and more meaningful.
Jones acknowledges that looking in better places and inside himself is the way forward. He's determined to break down the old ways and embrace new opportunities without any regrets. By sticking to his ground, Jones has lost lots of friends, but he's confident that there's more to life than what he's been experiencing thus far. The feeling is strong, and Jones is determined to find out what he's been missing.
As the song progresses, Jones becomes more confident and determined. He's found something that inspires him, and nothing can bring him down. Jones surges forward, feeling that he's breaking open the doors of the world. He's on a personal journey to realize his full potential, and nothing can stand in his way.
Line by Line Meaning
Messing around I've wasted my time for years
I've spent too much time on things that haven't really added any value in my life
Listening to friends who keep filling me up with ideas
I've been letting others influence me too much, and I need to start thinking for myself
Having deep talks with scholars who sound so fine
I've been seeking advice from people who seem knowledgeable, but their advice may not actually be useful
Hearing this sham is like getting drunk on cheap wine
Listening to bad advice is like getting intoxicated by something that isn't good for me
Well it's time for a change
I know I need to make a change in my life
I've got to move on
I need to let go of my past habits and ways of thinking
There's got to be more than this
I believe there is more to life than what I've been experiencing so far
The feeling is strong
I am convinced that I need to make a change
Look in better places gonna look inside
I am going to start looking for guidance and answers within myself
Gonna get higher something is pulling me on
I feel a strong desire to grow and improve myself
Breaking down the old ways feeling no regret
I am ready to let go of my old ways of thinking and acting, and I don't regret it
Gone are the shaky sands I've been building on
I am leaving behind the unstable foundation that my previous habits and beliefs were built upon
I've lost lots of friends
As I make this change, I may lose some people in my life who don't support me
By sticking to my ground
I will be true to myself and my values, even if it means standing alone
I don't give a damn
I am not concerned about what others think of me
Just look what I've found
I have discovered new perspectives and insights that are benefiting me
Here I come now got no time to frown
I am ready to face the future with positivity and optimism
Nothing in my way now nothing can bring me down
I am confident that I can overcome any obstacles that may arise
Feel that surge open the doors around
I feel empowered and capable of creating positive change in my life
Higher and higher the world is my hunting ground
As I continue to grow and improve, I am expanding my opportunities and possibilities in life
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOWARD JONES, WILLIAM BRYANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
hojofan
Howard, you are amazing with the keyboards and synthesizers!! I love this version! You really kicked it up a notch. Sending you much love.... A thumbs up and faved! Peace always, Alex
Fionalah
Great song off one of my favourite ever albums! Gotta love Human's Lib!
KrisRamJ
Such a talent and such a nice guy! Go Howard!
nick haswell
Human lib best album on earth and this is incredibly good all these years on his voice is magic
And his synth playing is out of this world totally magic the best synth player in the world in my opinion and he keeps going fron strength to strength masterful performance
D. D. Danahy
Still one of my biggest influences and a hero to me.
VinylCollector James
the king of the synthesizer!!! Such a genius
B Saunders
I still have my autograph from him. I had it sent to me from his fan club (run by his wife Jan) 30 years ago when I was 15!
model: tk
... the feeling is strong!
teresa pannells
You will always crack my ass up. You fucking rock!!!!
Nicola Foster
@teresa pannells I think you could have chosen your words a bit more carefully.