Jon Moss
Encyclopedia
Jon Moss is an English drummer best known as a member of the 1980s pop group Culture Club
. He has also played with other bands, including London
, The Nips
and The Damned.
, South London
, and was adopted when six months old by an upper-middle-class Jewish family that owned a clothing shop called Alkit.Jon grew up in Hampstead
and attended excellent schools, including Arnold House from 1962 to 1970 and Highgate
from 1970 to 1975.
Music was an important hobby in his childhood; he used to play well known pop songs on the family piano
. When he was 13 years old, he started playing drums; his brother David had a Wayward drum, which he borrowed.
In Highgate School
, he developed a fascination for sports, especially boxing, but he did not wish to play professionally. It was also at Highgate that he formed his first band, Pig Williams, along with his friend Nick Feldman
(Feldman would later become a member of Wang Chung
, which had two top-ten hits in the U.S.) Together they performed at several school events. After finishing high school, Jon held various jobs, including working at his father's clothing store, as a cake salesman and as a sound engineer in the Marquee Studios. He regarded going to university as a waste of time, although he briefly considered the idea of studying Greek at the University of Cambridge
.
band London
with his friend Riff Regan, he had the honor of going on tour with the established punk band The Stranglers
, and they got a record deal. They released a single entitled "Everyone."
Soon afterward, Moss decided to drumming in another punk band, The Damned. He replaced Rat Scabies
, who had quit the band. He made the final decision to join The Damned after he was injured in a car crash on 1977 New Year's Eve, suffering fractures in his face, resulting in a broken nose and had his injuries required 250 stitches and a week's hospital stay.
was looking for a drummer for his band, originally called Praise of Lemmings. Moss suggested changing the name of the group to Culture Club in reference to the various ethnic background
s of the members.
In 1985, he produced some tracks for the band, Woyeyeh.
In 1989, under the name Rubberman, he released one white label
of an acid house
instrumental
track. Boy George used that backing track to create his own song "After The Love", which was released as a single on the Jesus Loves You
. He was also involved later in another group, Promised Land, circa 1991–92 with Nick Feldman
of the pop group Wang Chung
. They released some singles ("Something In The Air" and "Circle In The Square") and a self-titled album
.
Moss was a part of the Culture Club reformation between 1998–2002.
band called Fassbender from 2003-05. Moss is currently a member of the bands DanMingo and Dirth
. He has also performed and recorded with the London based singer and songwriter, Anca.
In July 2005, Moss played drums on the charity single, "People I Don't Know Are Trying to Kill Me", written by journalist
Neil McCormick, to help the families of the victims of the terrorist bombings in London
.
Moss was interviewed in the Hampstead Village Voice about his early life and career in 2009.
, which includes a new album and a world tour. According to Boy George
on his twitter page, the band will begin recording the album in December 2011 and the tour will begin in the spring or summer of 2012.
during the height of the band's popularity, He was married to Barbara (Babs) until they separated in 2010. The couple have a son, Clyde (b. 1997), a daughter, Julia 'Gigi' (b. 2000) and another son, Leon (b. 2003).
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
. He has also played with other bands, including London
London (band)
London were a four piece punk band formed in London in 1976 and were best known for their wild stage act. The original line-up was Riff Regan , Steve Voice , Jon Moss and Dave Wight . They were managed by Simon Napier-Bell and recorded two singles, a 4 track EP and an album for MCA Records in 1977...
, The Nips
The Nipple Erectors
The Nipple Erectors are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1976 by female punk artist Shanne Bradley and are notable as Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan's first musical group.-Career:...
and The Damned.
Early life
Moss was born in "Clapham Jewish Boys Home" at WandsworthWandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, and was adopted when six months old by an upper-middle-class Jewish family that owned a clothing shop called Alkit.Jon grew up in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
and attended excellent schools, including Arnold House from 1962 to 1970 and Highgate
Highgate School
-Notable members of staff and governing body:* John Ireton, brother of Henry Ireton, Cromwellian General* 1st Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, owner of Kenwood, noted for judgment finding contracts for slavery unenforceable in English law* T. S...
from 1970 to 1975.
Music was an important hobby in his childhood; he used to play well known pop songs on the family piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. When he was 13 years old, he started playing drums; his brother David had a Wayward drum, which he borrowed.
In Highgate School
Highgate School
-Notable members of staff and governing body:* John Ireton, brother of Henry Ireton, Cromwellian General* 1st Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, owner of Kenwood, noted for judgment finding contracts for slavery unenforceable in English law* T. S...
, he developed a fascination for sports, especially boxing, but he did not wish to play professionally. It was also at Highgate that he formed his first band, Pig Williams, along with his friend Nick Feldman
Nick Feldman
Nick Feldman is an English musician, who is best known for forming the popular 1980s British new wave band, Wang Chung. In addition to forming Wang Chung, Feldman also was a member of the duo, Promised Land, which featured Jon Moss from Culture Club, was a founding investor in Interactive Ideas...
(Feldman would later become a member of Wang Chung
Wang Chung (band)
Wang Chung are an English New Wave musical group.The group found their greatest success in America, with five Top 40 hits in the US, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days" , "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and "Let's Go!" .-Pre-history: The Intellektuals and 57 Men :Jeremy...
, which had two top-ten hits in the U.S.) Together they performed at several school events. After finishing high school, Jon held various jobs, including working at his father's clothing store, as a cake salesman and as a sound engineer in the Marquee Studios. He regarded going to university as a waste of time, although he briefly considered the idea of studying Greek at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Musical career
1976–80: Beginning
Soon after he formed his own punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band London
London (band)
London were a four piece punk band formed in London in 1976 and were best known for their wild stage act. The original line-up was Riff Regan , Steve Voice , Jon Moss and Dave Wight . They were managed by Simon Napier-Bell and recorded two singles, a 4 track EP and an album for MCA Records in 1977...
with his friend Riff Regan, he had the honor of going on tour with the established punk band The Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
, and they got a record deal. They released a single entitled "Everyone."
Soon afterward, Moss decided to drumming in another punk band, The Damned. He replaced Rat Scabies
Rat Scabies
Christopher Millar , better known by his stage name Rat Scabies, is a musician best known for his tenure as the drummer for The Damned....
, who had quit the band. He made the final decision to join The Damned after he was injured in a car crash on 1977 New Year's Eve, suffering fractures in his face, resulting in a broken nose and had his injuries required 250 stitches and a week's hospital stay.
1981–86: Culture Club - Early times
Years later, Jon was advised by a friend that Boy GeorgeBoy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
was looking for a drummer for his band, originally called Praise of Lemmings. Moss suggested changing the name of the group to Culture Club in reference to the various ethnic background
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
s of the members.
In 1985, he produced some tracks for the band, Woyeyeh.
1987–02: Other works and Culture Club reunion
Following Culture Club, he released a single with the group Heartbeat UK, entitled "Jump To It", which he also produced.In 1989, under the name Rubberman, he released one white label
White label
White label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production...
of an acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
track. Boy George used that backing track to create his own song "After The Love", which was released as a single on the Jesus Loves You
Jesus Loves You (band)
Jesus Loves You were a British band, founded by the singer Boy George. The music of the band is a mixture of electronic dance music, Indian classical music and western pop music. Their lyrics are about love, spirituality and the equality of all human beings....
. He was also involved later in another group, Promised Land, circa 1991–92 with Nick Feldman
Nick Feldman
Nick Feldman is an English musician, who is best known for forming the popular 1980s British new wave band, Wang Chung. In addition to forming Wang Chung, Feldman also was a member of the duo, Promised Land, which featured Jon Moss from Culture Club, was a founding investor in Interactive Ideas...
of the pop group Wang Chung
Wang Chung (band)
Wang Chung are an English New Wave musical group.The group found their greatest success in America, with five Top 40 hits in the US, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days" , "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and "Let's Go!" .-Pre-history: The Intellektuals and 57 Men :Jeremy...
. They released some singles ("Something In The Air" and "Circle In The Square") and a self-titled album
Promised Land (Promised Land album)
Promised Land is the self-titled project album, released by Wang Chung guitarist Nick Feldman, and Culture Club drummer Jon Moss, on Epic Records, later Sony Records....
.
Moss was a part of the Culture Club reformation between 1998–2002.
2003–10: Charities, B-side projects
He was also in a punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band called Fassbender from 2003-05. Moss is currently a member of the bands DanMingo and Dirth
Dirth
Dirth formed in London, England in the summer of 2005. Singer/songwriter Alec is the musical leader and guitarist. Gianluca Nasticola is on bass and Jon Moss formerly of Culture Club is on drums. The band has received good critical response to its gigs including from Music Week and the London Daily...
. He has also performed and recorded with the London based singer and songwriter, Anca.
In July 2005, Moss played drums on the charity single, "People I Don't Know Are Trying to Kill Me", written by journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
Neil McCormick, to help the families of the victims of the terrorist bombings in London
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
.
Moss was interviewed in the Hampstead Village Voice about his early life and career in 2009.
2011–Present: Culture Club - The Reunion
Jon Moss is currently involved with the reunion of the Culture ClubCulture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
, which includes a new album and a world tour. According to Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
on his twitter page, the band will begin recording the album in December 2011 and the tour will begin in the spring or summer of 2012.
Personal life
Moss was in a romantic relationship with Boy GeorgeBoy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
during the height of the band's popularity, He was married to Barbara (Babs) until they separated in 2010. The couple have a son, Clyde (b. 1997), a daughter, Julia 'Gigi' (b. 2000) and another son, Leon (b. 2003).