Eighties synth-pop icon Howard Jones may have played for nearly two billion people at Live Aid, but this August’s special Electric Summer show in his hometown Taunton means just as much…
Somerset music lovers of a certain age may already have a date circled in their diaries this summer. Sunday, August 30, the last bank holiday weekend of the summer, sees 80s synth-pop legend Howard Jones performing at Vivary Park in his hometown of Taunton together with contemporaries Heaven 17 and Blancmange, as well as an array of exciting up-and-coming electronic music acts.
Howard rose to fame with 10 top 40 hits in the UK singles chart between 1983 and 1986, six of them reaching the top 10 – including Like to Get to Know You Well, What Is Love?, New Song and Things Can Only Get Better. After the release of his first album, Human’s Lib, he was invited to perform at Live Aid in 1985 – still one of the largest satellite television broadcasts of all time. In a career so far spanning 43 years, he has sold more than 10 million albums and shows no signs of stopping, with another LP due next year.
I caught up with Howard to see what this year has in store and what this one-off show on home soil will mean to him.
‘For me the excitement is playing in my hometown. I’ve lived in Taunton for 21 years and this is the first time I’ve played such a big gig here. It’s great because it seems everyone I meet knows about it already. And Vivary Park is such a beautiful place to be in the summer. Hopefully we’ll have good weather, and it will be amazing,’ he says with enthusiasm.
Putting down roots
As a Somerset music lover of a certain age myself, I know a lot of Howard’s 80s hits. But I have to admit, I had no idea he lived just down the road from me in Taunton. ‘There was one specific reason that pulled me to Taunton. I used to live in Maidenhead, and our youngest son Jasper was dyslexic and we needed to find him a school that would help him. There was a school in Shapwick that specialised in helping dyslexic kids. That’s what brought us to Somerset and we’re so glad that happened, because we just love it here.’
I’d only managed to catch up with Howard because of a break in his strenuous touring schedule. The 71-year-old is trying to find time to record some new material in between playing the live shows he loves so much. ‘We’re doing four dates with Rod Stewart at some huge gigs in America in April and then I’ll go on to do my own shows in America after that. We filmed the recent UK tour so there will be a lot of editing and mixing of that too. Usually at this time of year, I don’t quite know how it’s going to unfold. Last year I did 62 shows – I expect it will be something like that again.’
The world was watching
One of the reasons I first got to know of Howard Jones was his Live Aid performance. As a 12-year-old I’d sat through the entire broadcast, spellbound. Listening back to his piano rendition of Hide and Seek during Live Aid still brings on the goose bumps.
‘It was a pivotal moment to be a part of Live Aid. I missed out being on the record for various reasons, but I made a big effort to be part of Live Aid – I cancelled shows in America and flew back. When I played [Hide and Seek] it was incredible – the entire audience joined in with me on the chorus, and it was one of those moments that I’m never going to forget. I got to meet David Bowie, Pete Townshend and Paul McCartney. It was something that has resonated with me ever since. I was so grateful to be a part of it.
‘The great thing about it was that it saved lives on the other side of the planet – and it still is. That’s really putting music to great use. And culturally it was one of the first truly global events, and not just in music. I think 1.9bn people watched it on TV, so it was the biggest gig that anybody could ever do. With all that adrenaline flowing, I remember every detail of everything that happened. That day is burned into my consciousness forever.’
It must be hard to top having almost 40 per cent of the world’s population tune in to see you play. But there are other foundations on which Howard has built a long career and a lasting influence. ‘I’ve just done the 40th anniversary tour of my second album Dream Into Action and that felt like a real moment for me because to still be drawing audiences all round the world 40 years since I started felt like quite a thing. Having a connection with my audience is the most important thing to me. I’ve toured with Ringo, worked with Brian Transeau (BT) and the Sugababes – lots of great moments – but for me that connection, playing to audiences that join in with the songs and create an atmosphere at a show, that really is my favourite thing.’
Finding a new audience
I have to say I’m a little surprised when my youngest son says he’s been listening to Howard Jones. I ask Howard if he thinks the 40th anniversary of Dream Into Action has helped introduce him to a younger audience.
‘In this era of streaming, people can access every bit of music that’s ever been put out and young people do come across you. One of my songs, Things Can Only Get Better, was played in its entirety in Stranger Things season three, so there’s this whole younger audience listening to my music. The films I’ve been in have a much wider reach than traditional radio. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to see young people in the audience because they are often hearing my music for the first time and that’s mind-blowing for me.’
Some artists who enjoy an early meteoric rise tend to stall later in their career. Not so Howard. Listening to recent albums like Dialogue, he’s lost none of his catchy melodic appeal or that trademark super-tight production. It’s very Daft Punk, I think on my first listen; very, well, modern. I’ve heard people talk of his last three studio albums – Engage, Transform and Dialogue – as a trilogy of sorts. I wonder if that’s how Howard sees them, and if so, will the next album continue that wider theme?
‘I consciously decided to do this project more than 10 years ago. There is one more to go, so it will be a quadrilogy. I’m just trying to work out what that album is going to be. There’s a theme running through them, to do with the way we view ourselves in this global society. Engage – don’t be a bystander in this society; Transform – if we want to change our world, we have to change ourselves; Dialogue – we need to talk to each other and get to know each other. And the final one is Global Citizen, it’s about having a view that you are part of this entire planet and that comes with certain responsibilities. I’m hoping it will be out this year or the beginning of next.’
There must be a delicate balance to be struck between pushing new boundaries and delivering fan favourites. I ask which of his early hits remains his personal favourite.
‘Hide and Seek is probably the one I would always try to include, though obviously I love them all! There are a lot of my songs that people will be disappointed if I don’t play. I can play Hide and Seek in so many different ways. There was the Live Aid one at the piano. I’ve just done a new electronic version for these shows too. If there’s one song I could be remembered by, I’d like it to be that one because of the chorus. ‘Hope – you find it in everything’; that’s very much my philosophy.’
So, what can the audience expect at Electric Summer?
‘We’ll pull out all the stops for our show. I’m playing in my hometown, so it’s got to be good! I always try to make my shows an occasion. Every gig you do, it’s a special event! Even more so at Vivary Park. I can’t wait! It’s a long way off but I’m already thinking about what I’m going to play. I’m so pleased proceeds from the gig are going to the Nordoff and Robbins charity. They do great work with music to help people with their mental health. It’s another great incentive for people to be there.’.
Electric Summer is on August 30 in Vivary Park, Taunton, featuring Howard Jones, Heaven 17 and Blancmange, as well as Mesh, Black Nail Cabaret, Agency-V and Neon Fields.
Tickets are available from
universe.com
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