John Miles (musician)
Encyclopedia
John Miles is an English
rock music
vocalist, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player, best known for his 1976 Top 3 UK hit single
, "Music".
, later drummer with Roxy Music
; and Vic Malcolm, later lead guitarist with Geordie
. He also formed The John Miles Set before starting his solo career in 1971.
During the 1970s he issued four albums, including Rebel
(1976), Stranger in the City (1977), and Zaragon (1978). However, John Miles had the most success with singles and released a total of eighteen of them during this era. In addition to "Music", he also charted in the UK
with "Highfly" (1975), "Remember Yesterday" (1976), and "Slow Down" (1977). Most of his songs were co-written with the bassist in his backing group, Bob Marshall.
At the peak of his success in 1976 and 1977, Miles made several appearances on the weekly British pop TV show Supersonic
. The debut album did receive some attention in the US
. Two singles from the debut album reached the US Billboard Hot 100
chart, "Highfly" peaked at #68, followed by "Music" which stalled at #88. "Slow Down" was his biggest US chart hit, peaking at #2 on the disco chart, and at #34 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1977. It was later featured in the 1979 movie
, Players, starring Ali McGraw and Dean Paul Martin
.
In the 1980s, Miles continued to record
and tour. In 1983 a new radio station in the South of England, Radio Mercury, used parts from the song "Music" for their link jingle
s. The song itself also received extensive airplay on the station.
Since 1985, Miles participates almost every year in the Night of the Proms, a series of concerts held yearly in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. Regularly there are also shows in France, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Scandinavian countries. The concerts consist of a combination of pop music and popular classical music (often combined) and various well-known musicians and groups usually participate. Miles always performs "Music", and also sings other songs. In 2009, an album The Best of John Miles at the Night of the Proms was released, which included "Music" but also covers
including "All by Myself
", "Bohemian Rhapsody
" and "It Was a Very Good Year
".
Miles has also toured with Tina Turner
since 1987, often filling in for Bryan Adams
when the latter was unavailable to join her on tour for their duet
. Miles is also a frequent guest vocalist on albums by The Alan Parsons Project
. He also appeared on Jimmy Page
's 1988 album Outrider
.
Throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Miles was the music director to Tina Turner
on her various tours, and played on several of her albums. He also played Hammond organ
on Joe Cocker
's album Night Calls (1992). In 1990, Miles participated in the UK heat of A Song for Europe with the song "Where I Belong", which came second.
His first DVD, John Miles - Live In Concert was released in 2002. In 2007, Miles performed in Gelsenkirchen
, Germany with the German band Pur
and sang two songs. One of those songs, "Abenteuerland", Miles sang with Pur in German
. The concert is available on the DVD, Pur-Friends-Live-Schalke-2007. In October 2008, Miles began touring once again with Tina Turner. Turner's extensive American-European tour stretched until May 2009.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
vocalist, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player, best known for his 1976 Top 3 UK hit single
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
, "Music".
Career
While still a pupil at Jarrow Grammar School, Miles was a member of a local band called The Influence, which also included Paul ThompsonPaul Thompson (musician)
Paul Thompson is the drummer for Roxy Music from 1971 to 1980 and from 2001 onwards.In between those stints with Roxy Music, he was drummer in the Oi! band, Angelic Upstarts and the American alternative rock band Concrete Blonde...
, later drummer with Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
; and Vic Malcolm, later lead guitarist with Geordie
Geordie (band)
Geordie were a British rock band from Newcastle upon Tyne, England, most notably active in the 1970s.-History:The original line-up included: Vic Malcolm , Tom Hill , Brian Gibson and Brian Johnson .Their...
. He also formed The John Miles Set before starting his solo career in 1971.
During the 1970s he issued four albums, including Rebel
Rebel (John Miles album)
Rebel was the first solo album of John Miles. It was his most successful album to date with singles "Highfly" and "Music".-History:When Miles eventually signed to Decca, they introduced him to producer Alan Parsons in the summer of 1975...
(1976), Stranger in the City (1977), and Zaragon (1978). However, John Miles had the most success with singles and released a total of eighteen of them during this era. In addition to "Music", he also charted in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with "Highfly" (1975), "Remember Yesterday" (1976), and "Slow Down" (1977). Most of his songs were co-written with the bassist in his backing group, Bob Marshall.
At the peak of his success in 1976 and 1977, Miles made several appearances on the weekly British pop TV show Supersonic
Supersonic (TV series)
Supersonic is a British children's television music show which featured pop music artists of the day. Launched in 1975, it was produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network and ran for two years...
. The debut album did receive some attention in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Two singles from the debut album reached the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, "Highfly" peaked at #68, followed by "Music" which stalled at #88. "Slow Down" was his biggest US chart hit, peaking at #2 on the disco chart, and at #34 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1977. It was later featured in the 1979 movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Players, starring Ali McGraw and Dean Paul Martin
Dean Paul Martin
Dean Paul Martin was an American entertainer, noted as a tennis player, a singer and actor, and a military pilot.-Early life and career:...
.
In the 1980s, Miles continued to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
and tour. In 1983 a new radio station in the South of England, Radio Mercury, used parts from the song "Music" for their link jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s. The song itself also received extensive airplay on the station.
Since 1985, Miles participates almost every year in the Night of the Proms, a series of concerts held yearly in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. Regularly there are also shows in France, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Scandinavian countries. The concerts consist of a combination of pop music and popular classical music (often combined) and various well-known musicians and groups usually participate. Miles always performs "Music", and also sings other songs. In 2009, an album The Best of John Miles at the Night of the Proms was released, which included "Music" but also covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
including "All by Myself
All by Myself
"All by Myself" is a power ballad written and performed by Eric Carmen in 1975.The verse is based on the second movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18...
", "Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera...
" and "It Was a Very Good Year
It Was a Very Good Year
"It Was a Very Good Year" is a song composed by Ervin Drake in 1961 for and originally recorded by Bob Shane of The Kingston Trio and subsequently made famous by Frank Sinatra's version in D-minor, which won the Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male in 1966. Gordon Jenkins was awarded...
".
Miles has also toured with Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
since 1987, often filling in for Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
when the latter was unavailable to join her on tour for their duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
. Miles is also a frequent guest vocalist on albums by The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project was a British progressive rock band, active between 1975 and 1990, consisting of singer Eric Woolfson and keyboardist Alan Parsons surrounded by a varying number of session musicians....
. He also appeared on Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
's 1988 album Outrider
Outrider (album)
Outrider is an album by Jimmy Page, released by Geffen Records on 19 June 1988. It is his first genuine solo album, and the first time since 1969 he recorded with a record label other than Atlantic Records/Swan Song Records. It was recorded at The Sol, Page's personal studio...
.
Throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s, Miles was the music director to Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
on her various tours, and played on several of her albums. He also played Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
on Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
's album Night Calls (1992). In 1990, Miles participated in the UK heat of A Song for Europe with the song "Where I Belong", which came second.
His first DVD, John Miles - Live In Concert was released in 2002. In 2007, Miles performed in Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
, Germany with the German band Pur
Pur (band)
-History:The group was initially founded in 1975 under the name Crusade by Roland Bless and Ingo Reidl. Their first releases came out under the name Opus, but after an Austrian band with the same name had a huge hit single in Germany in 1985, they switched to the name Pur. Pur's first hit single in...
and sang two songs. One of those songs, "Abenteuerland", Miles sang with Pur in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. The concert is available on the DVD, Pur-Friends-Live-Schalke-2007. In October 2008, Miles began touring once again with Tina Turner. Turner's extensive American-European tour stretched until May 2009.
Family
Miles' son, also called John, is also a musician. Born in Boldon, he has played with bands including Jay and Fixate.See also
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- List of artists under the Decca Records label
- List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States