Simon Jones (musician)
Encyclopedia
Simon Jones is an English
bass
player. He played bass and provided occasional backing vocals for the English
band
, The Verve
.
, Liverpool
and moved to Wigan when he was 13 years old. He is married to Myra and has two sons - Jude and Jonah Jones.
" were based around the complex songwriting of the band, supported by the solid rhythm tracks created by Jones, often in the studio on a metallic Red Aria Pro II RBS bass, ultimately played live on his Fender Jazz bass guitar. The Aria has always played a significant part in the creation of The Verve's songs. Some of his most distinctive and effective bass lines can be heard at the beginning of songs like A Storm in Heaven
's 'Slide Away' and A Northern Soul
's Life's An Ocean.
Away from the musical side of The Verve, Jones is the only other band member other than the band's main mouthpiece, lead singer Richard Ashcroft
, who tends to speak publicly and in interviews. Most notably, he, along with Ashcroft, made a speech at the 2007 Q Awards
as they won a classic album award for their 1997 album Urban Hymns
. He thanked the band member's wives and children and also thanked former Verve guitarist Simon Tong
, who wasn't included in the newly reformed Verve line up. He also did an interview on Zane Lowe
's BBC
radio show after the band's 2007 reformation and he also appeared alone and alongside Ashcroft in a handful of Verve documentaries and other miscellaneous interviews throughout the 1990s.
When The Verve split in 1999 due to in-band tensions, many believed they were down to tensions between singer Richard Ashcroft
and lead guitarist Nick McCabe
. While this is true, there were in fact problems, described as 'serious' by Ashcroft in later interviews, between Ashcroft and Jones also. Exact details are unknown but it is believed the decision by Ashcroft's wife Kate Radley
not to invite Jones's wife Myra to a housewarming party at the Ashcroft's was either a cause for the fallout or resulted from earlier difficulties between the Jones' and Ashcroft's.
In June 2007, he rejoined The Verve in their reunion but by 2009 they had disbanded again. It has been stated that he is no longer speaking to Ashcroft as he believes Ashcroft reformed the band solely to reboost his solo career.
, who former Verve band mate Simon Tong
also played with. They would release just one album in 2002 called True Skies.
In 2003 Jones was the recording bassist for Howie Day
on Day's second album
, Stop All The World Now
, on Epic Records
.
Since 2004 Jones has been an official member of the backing band for Cathy Davey
.
In November 2005 he performed with the Gorillaz
live band playing guitar at the Manchester Opera House
as part of the Manchester International Festival
again alongside fellow Verve member Simon Tong
.
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...
bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player. He played bass and provided occasional backing vocals for the English
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...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, The Verve
The Verve
The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space...
.
Personal life
Simon attended Rudston Road primary school in ChildwallChildwall
Childwall is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council Ward. It is located to the south of the city, bordered by Gateacre, Wavertree, Belle Vale, Broadgreen, Bowring Park and Mossley Hill...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and moved to Wigan when he was 13 years old. He is married to Myra and has two sons - Jude and Jonah Jones.
The Verve
Most of the rhythm aspects of the Verve's albums, particularly the renowned track "Bitter Sweet SymphonyBitter Sweet Symphony
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a song by English alternative rock band The Verve, the lead track on their third album, Urban Hymns. It is based on music from an Andrew Loog Oldham adaptation of a Rolling Stones song, "The Last Time". It was released on 16 June 1997 by Hut Recordings as the first single...
" were based around the complex songwriting of the band, supported by the solid rhythm tracks created by Jones, often in the studio on a metallic Red Aria Pro II RBS bass, ultimately played live on his Fender Jazz bass guitar. The Aria has always played a significant part in the creation of The Verve's songs. Some of his most distinctive and effective bass lines can be heard at the beginning of songs like A Storm in Heaven
A Storm in Heaven
A Storm in Heaven is the debut studio album by English rock band The Verve , released in June 1993 on the Hut Recordings label...
's 'Slide Away' and A Northern Soul
A Northern Soul
A Northern Soul is the second studio album by English alternative rock band The Verve. The album was released in the United States on 20 June 1995 on the Hut label and in the United Kingdom on 3 July 1995 on Vernon Yard Records...
's Life's An Ocean.
Away from the musical side of The Verve, Jones is the only other band member other than the band's main mouthpiece, lead singer Richard Ashcroft
Richard Ashcroft
Richard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional guitarist of alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their split in 1999, and continues as a lead vocalist working with guitars and keyboards...
, who tends to speak publicly and in interviews. Most notably, he, along with Ashcroft, made a speech at the 2007 Q Awards
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event...
as they won a classic album award for their 1997 album Urban Hymns
Urban Hymns
Urban Hymns is the third album by English rock band The Verve, released on 29 September 1997 on Hut Recordings. It earned nearly unanimous critical praise upon its release, and went on to become the band's best-selling release and one of the biggest selling albums of the year...
. He thanked the band member's wives and children and also thanked former Verve guitarist Simon Tong
Simon Tong
Simon Tong is a guitarist and keyboardist who was a member of The Verve between 1996 and 1999 and is currently a member of Erland and the Carnival and Transmission. He has also played on tour with Blur, Gorillaz and the unnamed supergroup responsible for The Good, the Bad & the Queen...
, who wasn't included in the newly reformed Verve line up. He also did an interview on Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
's BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio show after the band's 2007 reformation and he also appeared alone and alongside Ashcroft in a handful of Verve documentaries and other miscellaneous interviews throughout the 1990s.
When The Verve split in 1999 due to in-band tensions, many believed they were down to tensions between singer Richard Ashcroft
Richard Ashcroft
Richard Paul Ashcroft is an English singer-songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional guitarist of alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their split in 1999, and continues as a lead vocalist working with guitars and keyboards...
and lead guitarist Nick McCabe
Nick McCabe
Nick McCabe is a musician best known as the lead guitarist of The Verve.-Early life:Nick McCabe was the son of a bus driver and has two older brothers, Alan and Paul...
. While this is true, there were in fact problems, described as 'serious' by Ashcroft in later interviews, between Ashcroft and Jones also. Exact details are unknown but it is believed the decision by Ashcroft's wife Kate Radley
Kate Radley
Kate Radley was a keyboard player for the British rock band Spiritualized, and was, for part of her tenure with the band, in a long-term relationship with the band's frontman and principal creative force, Jason Pierce...
not to invite Jones's wife Myra to a housewarming party at the Ashcroft's was either a cause for the fallout or resulted from earlier difficulties between the Jones' and Ashcroft's.
In June 2007, he rejoined The Verve in their reunion but by 2009 they had disbanded again. It has been stated that he is no longer speaking to Ashcroft as he believes Ashcroft reformed the band solely to reboost his solo career.
Other musical projects
After the breakup of The Verve in 1999, Jones would later re-emerge playing bass and writing songs for the short lived band The ShiningThe Shining (band)
The Shining were an English rock band formed in 2000. The band was composed of Duncan Baxter , Dan MacBean , Mark Heaney , Simon Jones , and Simon Tong , the latter two both being members of The Verve....
, who former Verve band mate Simon Tong
Simon Tong
Simon Tong is a guitarist and keyboardist who was a member of The Verve between 1996 and 1999 and is currently a member of Erland and the Carnival and Transmission. He has also played on tour with Blur, Gorillaz and the unnamed supergroup responsible for The Good, the Bad & the Queen...
also played with. They would release just one album in 2002 called True Skies.
In 2003 Jones was the recording bassist for Howie Day
Howie Day
Howard Kern "Howie" Day is an American singer-songwriter. Beginning his career as a solo artist in the late 1990s, Day became known for his extensive touring and in-concert use of samplers and effects pedals in order to accompany himself...
on Day's second album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Stop All The World Now
Stop All The World Now
Stop All the World Now is the second full-length album by American singer-songwriter Howie Day. It was recorded at Olympic Studios in London over a period of 3 months in early 2003 and released by Epic Records on October 7, 2003...
, on Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
.
Since 2004 Jones has been an official member of the backing band for Cathy Davey
Cathy Davey
Cathy Davey is an Irish singer-songwriter. She has released one extended play, "Come Over" , and three albums, Something Ilk , Tales of Silversleeve and The Nameless...
.
In November 2005 he performed with the Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
live band playing guitar at the Manchester Opera House
Manchester Opera House
The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England is a 1,920 seater commercial touring theatre which plays host to touring musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is the sister to the Palace Theatre which is a similar venue in nearby Oxford Street at its junction with Whitworth...
as part of the Manchester International Festival
Manchester International Festival
The Manchester International Festival is an international cultural festival of original new work, held in the English city of Manchester. It is a biennial event, first taking place in June–July 2007, and subsequently recurring in the summers of 2009 and 2011...
again alongside fellow Verve member Simon Tong
Simon Tong
Simon Tong is a guitarist and keyboardist who was a member of The Verve between 1996 and 1999 and is currently a member of Erland and the Carnival and Transmission. He has also played on tour with Blur, Gorillaz and the unnamed supergroup responsible for The Good, the Bad & the Queen...
.