As a songwriter, it’s as if the deeper you go into yourself the more you can resonate with others.
Yes! That’s right. That’s actually a really good way of putting it. And the more fearless you are to reveal those things the more it can resonate with people.
How have you evolved as a songwriter over the past twenty-five years?
I’ve come to realize that the pop song is actually a very beautiful form. It’s a very simple form, but very, very elegant and beautiful. And the way you can bring some originality to it is by doing some fine, little changes to where the keys go, how the middle eight works, how long the bridges are. I always try and take that very beautiful pop-song structure and just tweak it a bit and change a few things so that it’s got a little twist in it that you don’t expect, but still it feels familiar.
For more information on Howard Jones, please visit the artist's official website.
Article comments
1 - Josh Hathaway
Great stuff, Donald. Every decade has its detractors and each passing decade offers up something special and maybe even something great. Much of what was done in the '80s that was popular at the time no longer holds up for me. Howard Jones is an exception. I always liked his voice and his songs and still do. Some of the synth sounds don't quite work the way they did thing but because he had actual songs beneath the synths it still feels valid. Always liked the guy and glad he's still making music. Good work on this.
2 - Scott M. Deitche
"What is Love' really stands the test of time.
3 - Songbird
What a great interview-I used to love Howard Jones in the 80s! Great to find out what he has been up to!
4 - Mark Saleski
nice. i hadn't thought about "Things Can Only Get Better" in years. sure, it's pure nostalgia, but it's still a lot of fun.
5 - El Bicho
Good interview.
I guess I could go look it up somewhere but has he been making music and releasing albums this whole time?