John Jones (record producer)
Encyclopedia
John Idris Jones is a musician
and record producer
who has worked with Duran Duran and many high-profile rock and pop musicians.
, England
, Jamaica
and Canada
. He played various instruments in local Canadian bands, and learned to write songs, until he got a chance to record in the studio of Rush
producer Terry Brown
. He became keyboardist for the band Bond
, which was signed to CBS Canada
, then wrote and toured with several other Canadian bands.
where they worked on many productions for Klaatu, Alice Cooper
, Strange Advance
, Dalbello, Rational Youth
, Red Rider
, Images in Vogue
, Dan Hill
, The Partland Brothers and Glass Tiger
.
In 1985 Jones relocated to AIR Studios in London, setting up a Computer Music studio with George Martin
and working on productions for Martin, Yes
, The Rolling Stones
, Paul Rogers, Paul McCartney
, Terence Trent D'Arby, The Outfield
, Mark Knopfler
, Roy Wood
, and Duran Duran
.
Jones played piano for a concert with the London Symphony Orchestra
, with George Martin conducting his Beatles Yellow Submarine
Suite. He also wrote a chapter on MIDI for Martin's book Making Music and presenting a segment about computer music on BBC Two's Science In Action.
In the late 1980s Jones began working with Duran Duran on their live shows and then in the studio producing a B side single "This Is How A Road Gets Made", before being hired to record the album Liberty
with producer Chris Kimsey
. He also produced the single "Burning the Ground
" (a remix
of Duran's greatest hits) for Duran Duran's Decade: Greatest Hits
compilation album.
's Laying Down the Law and the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels Live. By 1992, Duran Duran and Jones had finished producing the multi-million–selling "comeback" record, The Wedding Album
featuring the award-winning song "Ordinary World
". He also played piano with Duran Duran on stage at the Royal Albert Hall
and later for their MTV Unplugged
sessions in New York in 1994. His final production with Duran Duran was Thank You
of 1995.
In the mid 1990s, Jones produced Ny Donsk in Iceland
before heading to Los Angeles where he produced the Alan Frew
CD Hold On for EMI
, co-writing the album's hit song "So Blind" which won awards from the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada
for Most Performed Song of 1995 and Number One.
In 1996, Jones co-wrote and produced tracks for Dan Hill
's I'm Doing Fine and Fleetwood Mac
's Time. He wrote and produced the Celine Dion
song "Seduces Me" from the multi-platinum CD Falling Into You, for which Jones won 1997 Grammy Award
s for "Album Of The Year (Producer)", "Album Of The Year" and "Pop Album Of The Year (Engineer)".
Jones has also written songs for Priscilla Wright
, Emily Richards, and Rational Youth
, writing four top ten and three number one records, as well as writing and producing film scores for the films Stuart Bliss, Lucky, A Perfect Stranger and Hot Money
.
In 1998, Jones produced a solo album of his own material called One Moment In Time. Released in Canada by Iron/BMG
to critical acclaim, the album garnered three MP3.com
Pop Chart number ones and extensive music video play for the single "State Of Mind". He performed many live shows promoting the album in Canada and in Los Angeles
including organizing a benefit for the homeless in Toronto for the Salvation Army
and Covenant House
.
in Japan in late 2001 to coincide with a massive Kirin Beer campaign for which Jones sang the lead vocal, recorded for Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon
's Japanese advertising company Syn Entertainment.
In 2003 John started Drumroll Musicians Workshop with drum legend Steve Ferrone
of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
in Burbank, California
, and has since worked on productions and sessions for Ferrone's band Farm Fur, as well as Keb' Mo'
, Dove
, Nils
, Edgar Winter
, Jeff Golub
, Sabian
, Linspire
, Mike Campbell, The Lille Claire Foundation, Ollie
, Andre Berry, Karan Han, Susie Chin, Kim Crain, The Dares
, Erin Toland, Zuhdi & Frank, Dean & Robert Deleo, Cassandra Denver, Jeff Young
, Alex Ligertwood
, Brian Auger
and Jack Dill.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
who has worked with Duran Duran and many high-profile rock and pop musicians.
Background
Jones is of Welsh descent. He was born in London, England and lived in WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He played various instruments in local Canadian bands, and learned to write songs, until he got a chance to record in the studio of Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
producer Terry Brown
Terry Brown (record producer)
Terry Brown is a record producer involved in a variety of work, but most noted for his involvement with the Canadian rock band Rush and the British/Canadian band Cutting Crew. Brown is currently working with emerging Ottawa roots-rockers Ken Workman & The Union. He is referred to fondly by the band...
. He became keyboardist for the band Bond
Bond (band)
Bond is an Australian/British string quartet that specialises in classical crossover music...
, which was signed to CBS Canada
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, then wrote and toured with several other Canadian bands.
1980s
In 1980 Jones and friends built ESP Studios around a Fairlight CMIFairlight CMI
The Fairlight CMI is a digital sampling synthesizer. It was designed in 1979 by the founders of Fairlight, Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie, and based on a dual-6800 microprocessor computer designed by Tony Furse in Sydney, Australia...
where they worked on many productions for Klaatu, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Strange Advance
Strange Advance
Strange Advance was a Canadian New Wave band formed in 1982 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They were nominated for a 1983 Juno Award as Most Promising Group of the Year and again in 1985 as Group of the Year...
, Dalbello, Rational Youth
Rational Youth
Rational Youth is a Canadian New Wave band, originally formed in 1981 in Montreal, Quebec, by synthesizer wizards Tracy Howe, former singer and drummer for Montreal punk band "The Normals", and Bill Vorn, both of whom idolized the German synthpop pioneers Kraftwerk.Among the band's notable singles...
, Red Rider
Red Rider
Red Rider are a Canadian rock band popular in the 1980s. While the band achieved great success in Canada, in the US, the band never had a song in the Top 40....
, Images in Vogue
Images in Vogue
Images in Vogue was a Canadian New Wave group in the 1980s.The band was formed in 1981 in Vancouver, and originally consisted of vocalist Dale Martindale, guitarist Don Gordon , synth players Joe Vizvary and Glen Nelson, bassist Gary Smith and percussionist Kevin Crompton...
, Dan Hill
Dan Hill
Daniel Grafton "Dan" Hill IV is a Canadian pop singer and songwriter. He had two major hits with his songs, "Sometimes When We Touch" and "Can't We Try," a duet with Vonda Shepard.-Early life and career:...
, The Partland Brothers and Glass Tiger
Glass Tiger
Glass Tiger is a Canadian rock band formed in 1983, in Newmarket, Ontario.-Biography:Originally named 'Tokyo', the band produced several hit singles in Canada and placed two songs on Billboard magazine's top 10: "Don't Forget Me " and "Someday," both of which came from their debut album, The Thin...
.
In 1985 Jones relocated to AIR Studios in London, setting up a Computer Music studio with George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
and working on productions for Martin, Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Paul Rogers, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Terence Trent D'Arby, The Outfield
The Outfield
The Outfield are an arena rock-influenced English pop rock/power pop power trio based in London, England. The Outfield are unusual for a British band in that they enjoyed commercial success in the U.S., but never reached the album or singles charts in their homeland...
, Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
, Roy Wood
Roy Wood
Roy Adrian Wood is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the bands The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a number of hits to the repertoire of these bands.-Career:Wood...
, and Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
.
Jones played piano for a concert with the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, with George Martin conducting his Beatles Yellow Submarine
Yellow Submarine (album)
Yellow Submarine is the tenth studio album by The Beatles in the United Kingdom, released on Apple Records. It was issued as the soundtrack to the film of the same name, which premiered in the United Kingdom seven months prior to the album's release....
Suite. He also wrote a chapter on MIDI for Martin's book Making Music and presenting a segment about computer music on BBC Two's Science In Action.
In the late 1980s Jones began working with Duran Duran on their live shows and then in the studio producing a B side single "This Is How A Road Gets Made", before being hired to record the album Liberty
Liberty (album)
Liberty is the sixth studio album by Duran Duran, released on . It entered the top 10 in the UK albums chart, and garnered a #6 hit for the single "Serious" in Japan.-Recording:...
with producer Chris Kimsey
Chris Kimsey
Christopher Kenneth Kimsey is a record producer, mixer and musician most famous for having co-produced The Rolling Stones' Undercover and Steel Wheels albums...
. He also produced the single "Burning the Ground
Burning The Ground
"Burning The Ground" is the 20th single by Duran Duran, released in December 1989. It was created as a stand-alone single to promote the compilation album Decade: Greatest Hits, but didn't appear on the album itself. However, its music video was included on the band's audiovisual compilation...
" (a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of Duran's greatest hits) for Duran Duran's Decade: Greatest Hits
Decade: Greatest Hits
Decade – Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by Duran Duran, released on November 15, 1989 .The remix single "Burning the Ground" was released to radio to promote this album; it was created by producer John Jones mixing snippets of the band's biggest hits from the previous decade into a new...
compilation album.
1990s
In the early 1990s, he worked again with Kimsey on Paul RodgersPaul Rodgers
Paul Bernard Rodgers is an English rock singer-songwriter, best known for his success in the 1970s as a member of Free and Bad Company. After stints in two less successful bands in the 1980s and early 1990s, The Firm and The Law, he became a solo artist. He has recently toured and recorded with...
's Laying Down the Law and the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels Live. By 1992, Duran Duran and Jones had finished producing the multi-million–selling "comeback" record, The Wedding Album
Duran Duran (1993 album)
Duran Duran is the seventh studio album and the second self-titled album by Duran Duran, released on 23 February 1993. The cover art by Nick Egan features wedding photos from the parents of the four band members.Recording of the album was completed in early 1992 with an impending release by...
featuring the award-winning song "Ordinary World
Ordinary World
"Ordinary World" is the first single from Duran Duran's self-titled 1993 album, better known as The Wedding Album. The song peaked at No. 3 in the American charts and No. 6 in the British charts...
". He also played piano with Duran Duran on stage at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
and later for their MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
sessions in New York in 1994. His final production with Duran Duran was Thank You
Thank You (Duran Duran album)
Thank You is a covers album by Duran Duran released in April 1995, their follow-up to 1993's Duran Duran . It did well on the charts , but was received very negatively by critics...
of 1995.
In the mid 1990s, Jones produced Ny Donsk in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
before heading to Los Angeles where he produced the Alan Frew
Alan Frew
Alan Frew is the lead singer for the Canadian band, Glass Tiger, and has also released two solo albums...
CD Hold On for EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, co-writing the album's hit song "So Blind" which won awards from the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada
Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada
SOCAN is the Canadian copyright collective for the right to communicate to the public and publicly perform musical works...
for Most Performed Song of 1995 and Number One.
In 1996, Jones co-wrote and produced tracks for Dan Hill
Dan Hill
Daniel Grafton "Dan" Hill IV is a Canadian pop singer and songwriter. He had two major hits with his songs, "Sometimes When We Touch" and "Can't We Try," a duet with Vonda Shepard.-Early life and career:...
's I'm Doing Fine and Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
's Time. He wrote and produced the Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
song "Seduces Me" from the multi-platinum CD Falling Into You, for which Jones won 1997 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s for "Album Of The Year (Producer)", "Album Of The Year" and "Pop Album Of The Year (Engineer)".
Jones has also written songs for Priscilla Wright
Priscilla Wright (singer)
Priscilla Wright is a Canadian singer.Wright had a hit in the United States at the age of 14 with the song "Man in the Raincoat" in 1955. It sold over half a million copies in the U.S. and hit #16 on the Billboard Singles Chart...
, Emily Richards, and Rational Youth
Rational Youth
Rational Youth is a Canadian New Wave band, originally formed in 1981 in Montreal, Quebec, by synthesizer wizards Tracy Howe, former singer and drummer for Montreal punk band "The Normals", and Bill Vorn, both of whom idolized the German synthpop pioneers Kraftwerk.Among the band's notable singles...
, writing four top ten and three number one records, as well as writing and producing film scores for the films Stuart Bliss, Lucky, A Perfect Stranger and Hot Money
Hot Money
-Plot:The drama tells the story of three workers at the Bank of England incinerating plant in Essex. The trio, led by Bridget , hatch a plan to steal thousands of pounds by stashing the notes in their underwear.-Cast:-Production:...
.
In 1998, Jones produced a solo album of his own material called One Moment In Time. Released in Canada by Iron/BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
to critical acclaim, the album garnered three MP3.com
MP3.com
MP3.com is a web site operated by CNET Networks providing information about digital music and artists, songs, services, community, and technologies. It is probably better known for its original incarnation, as a legal, free music-sharing service, popular with independent musicians for promoting...
Pop Chart number ones and extensive music video play for the single "State Of Mind". He performed many live shows promoting the album in Canada and in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
including organizing a benefit for the homeless in Toronto for the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
and Covenant House
Covenant House
Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless, and runaway youth. In addition to basic needs, Covenant House provides a continuum of care to homeless youth aged 16–21 designed to...
.
2000s
Jones' solo album was re-released by Victor EntertainmentVictor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as...
in Japan in late 2001 to coincide with a massive Kirin Beer campaign for which Jones sang the lead vocal, recorded for Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon
Simon Le Bon
Simon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
's Japanese advertising company Syn Entertainment.
In 2003 John started Drumroll Musicians Workshop with drum legend Steve Ferrone
Steve Ferrone
Steven "Steve" Ferrone is a British drummer.He was a member of the Average White Band, and has recorded and performed with numerous other high-profile acts, including Slash, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Scritti Politti...
of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, and has since worked on productions and sessions for Ferrone's band Farm Fur, as well as Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo is an American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee, United States.-Early life:From early on he had an appreciation for the blues and gospel music...
, Dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
, Nils
Nils
Nils is a Scandinavian given name, a chiefly Norwegian and Swedish variant of Niels, cognate to Nicholas and Neil. As with Niels, its pet form is Nisse...
, Edgar Winter
Edgar Winter
Edgar Holland Winter is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, notably with their...
, Jeff Golub
Jeff Golub
Jeff Golub is an American jazz guitarist.- Biography :Jeff Golub is a contemporary jazz guitarist with 11 solo albums and 3 CD's as the leader of the instrumental band "Avenue Blue"...
, Sabian
Sabian (company)
Sabian is a Canadian cymbal designer and manufacturer. It is a leading manufacturer of cymbals along with other top companies such as Zildjian, Paiste, and Meinl.-History:...
, Linspire
Linspire
Linspire, previously known as LindowsOS, was a commercial operating system based on Debian GNU/Linux and later Ubuntu. Linspire was published by Linspire, Inc. and focused on ease-of-use, targeting home PC users...
, Mike Campbell, The Lille Claire Foundation, Ollie
Ollie
Ollie, a shortened form of Oliver may refer to the following:-People:*Ollie Canning , Irish hurling player*Ollie Clarke, a British association footballer...
, Andre Berry, Karan Han, Susie Chin, Kim Crain, The Dares
The Dares
The Dares were formed by twin brothers Ben Peterson and Matt Peterson . For six years The Dares performed as a trio with Martin Lascano who left the band in April 2010...
, Erin Toland, Zuhdi & Frank, Dean & Robert Deleo, Cassandra Denver, Jeff Young
Jeff Young
Jeff Young is an American guitarist. He graduated from Musicians Institute in 1985, and is best known for his time with the thrash metal band Megadeth, appearing on the 1988 album So Far, So Good... So What!...
, Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood
Alex Ligertwood is a Scottish singer, guitarist and drummer, best known as the lead vocalist of Santana...
, Brian Auger
Brian Auger
Brian Auger is a jazz and rock keyboardist, who has specialized in playing the Hammond organ.A jazz pianist, bandleader, session musician and Hammond B3 player, Auger has played or toured with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon...
and Jack Dill.