| Howard Jones was a best-selling British pop-star of | | | | title to the animal liberation movement and the |
| the mid-1980's known for his uplifting synth melodies | | | | moksha of the Buddhist and Indian religions. |
| and truly unique haircut. Throughout his career Jones | | | | Look in better places gonna look inside |
| promoted vegetarianism and spirituality, and today is | | | | Gonna get higher something is pulling me on |
| a practising Buddhist. | | | | Breaking down the old ways feeling no regret |
| The musical beginnings of British popular artist, | | | | Gone are the shaky sands Ive been building on |
| vegetarian, practising Buddhist and master of 1980's | | | | (Hunt The Self) |
| synthesiser-pop Howard Jones were auspicious, | | | | Jones' second album, "Dream into Action," also |
| although he probably didn't recognise it at the time. A | | | | successful, continued a long-standing advocacy of |
| piano player and teacher from an early age, he was | | | | vegetarianism, with the track 'Assault & Battery' |
| involved in a car accident which left him injured. One | | | | pulling no punches: |
| of his students--and later wife--Jan Smith, who was in | | | | Children's stories with their farmyard favourites |
| the vehicle at the time, claimed compensation on his | | | | On the table in a different disguise |
| behalf, and used the money to buy him a | | | | Another song from the album, 'Hunger For the Flesh,' |
| synthesiser--a Moog Prodigy. He was actually sent | | | | was a lyrical treatise on the Buddhist Noble Truths, |
| two by mistake, and liked their combination so much | | | | Jones singing from the heart about karmic |
| he paid for the second. Thus a synth-pop legend was | | | | attachment and rebirth: |
| born. | | | | They came here for to dance |
| Howard Jones would appear initially on stage with a | | | | To learn and not to cling |
| mime artist named Jed Hoile, performing improvised | | | | Holding onto life |
| choreography whilst doused in white paint. It seems | | | | As if it were the important thing |
| the world wasn't yet ready for New Wave | | | | 'Is There A Difference' continues the album's strong |
| synth-mime, and Jones made the big time sans | | | | Eastern theme, lyrics based upon Chapter 20 of the |
| improvised mime artist--although Jed was brought | | | | Tao Te Ching (The Way of Life). |
| back for a special 20th Anniversary retro set in 2003. | | | | A former Christian, Jones was introduced to |
| The mid-eighties saw a frenzy of albums and top 40 | | | | Buddhism by a friend and never looked back. A |
| hits in both the UK and the US for this so called | | | | devotee of Nichiren Buddhism, a thousand year old |
| "respectable" face of pop, and the single 'Like To Get | | | | Japanese off-shoot noted for it's focus on the Lotus |
| To Know You Well,' an unofficial anthem to the Los | | | | Sutra and the belief that realisation of the |
| Angeles Olympics, was huge around the world. Jones | | | | Buddha-nature is in the present life, he chants daily |
| also had one of the best haircuts in the business, | | | | for an hour in the morning and thirty minutes at night. |
| described by one authority as a peculiar early 80's | | | | Twenty years since the peak of his fame, Howard |
| combo of mop-top and dyed spikes. | | | | Jones continues his musical quest for enlightenment, |
| Despite sudden fame, fortune and eight million albums | | | | releasing "Revolution of the Heart" in 2005 with a |
| sold, Jones remained true to his ideals, promoting | | | | strong lyrical message for inner human change, or to |
| strong feelings for animal rights and and against | | | | quote the musician himself, "in fact a revolution of |
| human excess. His first album, the platinum selling | | | | the heart. |
| chart topping "Human's Lib," is both a reference in | | | | |