Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville - Howard Jones On Synths, Stardom, And Staying Authentic

Episode Date: May 12, 2026

We sit down with Howard Jones to talk about the long arc of an electronic pop career that stays grounded in optimism, craft, and real human connection. He shares how he balances evolving music technology with live performance energy, and why authenticity is still the thing audiences can feel. • writing new music while still touring and chasing the next creative spark • blending great playing with smart technology for a powerful live show • building songs around big questions like love, meaning, and being human • how “Things Can Only Get Better” comes from thinking about singalongs • staying relevant by staying true to values like kindness and self-belief • what analog gear still does that software cannot fully copy • the 1985 Grammys moment that helped legitimize synth-based music • why the stage forces you into the present moment • learning from early fearless performances and bringing that spirit back • underestimating “No One Is To Blame” and watching it grow with fans • the near-miss record deal choice that changed everything • favorite synth pick and the message he hopes lasts for decades • turning a power cut into a once-in-a-lifetime show memory If you haven't already, take a quick second to tap the follow button. It really helps the show reach more people who love music and entertainment.INTRO/OUTRO: T. WildMantor Music BMI

My career in the entertainment industry has enabled me to work with a diverse range of talent. Through my years of experience, I've recognized two essential aspects. Industry professionals, whether famous stars or behind-the-scenes staff, have fascinating stories to tell. Secondly, audiences are eager to listen to these stories, which offer a glimpse into their lives and the evolution of their life stories. This podcast aims to share these narratives, providing information on how they evolved into their chosen career. We will delve into their journey to stardom, discuss their struggles and successes,

and hear from people who help them achieve their goals. Get ready for intriguing behind-the-scenes stories and insights into the fascinating world of entertainment. Hi, I'm Tony Mantor. Welcome to Almost Live Nashville. If you haven't already, take a quick second to tap the follow button. It really helps the show reach more people

who love music and entertainment. Thanks for being here. Joining us today is someone whose music has inspired people for more than 40 years. Howard Jones first emerged in the early 1980s as one of the pioneers of electronic pop music. His songs including Things Can Only Get Better, No One Is to Blame, and What Is Love, became global hits and timeless classics. But beyond the music, Howard has always explored deeper themes, optimism, personal growth, and the human experience. Being authentic is one of the reasons. his work continues to resonate with audiences today. We're going to talk about the music, the journey,

the lessons learned along the way, and what continues to inspire him today. Thanks for joining us today. Thanks for having me. Oh, it's my pleasure. Now, if you would, before we dive into the conversation, if you could give our listeners an idea of what you're up to now. Well, at this very moment, well, I'm here in Somerset in the UK to the southwest of the UK where I live. and I'm in my studio. I've just been working on some new music, new tracks. Nice. And we're just about to go and out and do a few dates with Rod Stewart in the States.

So I'm doing a couple of my own dates in between. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, so that's going to be fun. I know Rod, we've hung out together a lot, and I can call him a friend. And so it's going to be really fun doing those four shows, yes. Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun. So in the early 80s, when you first started out, you were performing with a lot of electronics before the age of laptops.

How do you notice the change now with your gear on traveling and the different things that you can use now for all your live performances? Yeah, you know, I've always been interested in using developing technology and all the cool things you can do with it. But also, you know, because I come from a player's background. I started learning piano. I was seven. So for me, it's marrying up like great playing and great play.

with the best uses of technology. And that's what my show has always been about, even from the early days when it was a one-man band. I was playing most of the parts and then using sequences and alpeggiators and stuff and drum machines to go with it. So now the live show is very much a marriage of great players, great use of technology

to give people a fantastic sound and very exciting experience. That's the idea. Yeah, I get that. Now, your music has been very, optimistic, some may say philosophical at times. Is that something that you consciously wanted to bring into your music? Or was it just something that came from who you actually were? Yeah, I mean, I think both things are true. I've always been interested in the big questions of life and how we navigate

being human beings on the planet at this time. And also, you know, wanting to bring that into my music and to pose those questions in the music and to yeah it's so ever since i've you know teenager i've always been interested in different philosophies of life and so that's what i brought to my music yeah two of your songs what is love and things can only get better they became anthems really so when you sat down and wrote those songs did you realize that they could have that kind of staying power i i don't i don't think so no i i just try i just trying to do the, you know, the best songs I could. Sure. And it'd be authentic, you know, it's the sort of questions I'm asking myself, what is love, you know? Yeah. And then, you know,

things can only get better was slightly different because it was written on the road. After the first album where I'd written, you know, had all the songs ready, but for Dream Into Action, I had to write on the road. So I was doing shows pretty much every night. So I was thinking people love joining in and singing along, you know, and so that's where the whoa-o chorus comes from. So I've always thought about how the songs will play out live and can people sing along to them as well, you know, because that's such fun. I love doing that myself when I go to shows, you know, and yeah, that's what was the motivation for that, really. Now, there's a lot of singers, songwriters, bands, they stay out there performing, they're trying to stay relevant. Sometimes

they try and reinvent themselves. You kind of stayed true to what you are. Do you think that's played a big role in your music career and your longevity? I think that, I think that, I, I've tried to be the person that is portrayed in those songs and to try and, you know, live up to the ideas of, you know, respecting people and being kind to people, overcoming, knowing that we have the power to overcome difficult situations and believing in yourself and being proud of who you are. We're all so unique, you know, and not worrying if we are different to other people and, you know, being sort of confident about that. And I've always tried to put that in the songs. And so, and I've tried to stick to that as a person and the way that I live. So I think that's why I've got this bond with my audience that they know they can rely on me,

hopefully, you know, to meet that person, yeah. So looking back in the early days of recording, when we went into the studio, we had two-inch tape. Yeah, yeah. Now, fast forward to today's recording, we've got the digital world. Yeah. The industry has changed drastically. Yeah. What are some of the things that you like about the change? And then what are some of the things you hate about the change?

Well, I've always been a person to try and, you know, roll with the changes and use the best side of things. You know, like, you remember how people freaked out when samplers came along and people were sampling bits of records and predicting the complete demise of the music business and all that stuff. Well, you know, I mean, there were people who were ripping, ripping each. other off. But also, sampling was just a wonderful new way of, you know, giving people new sounds and new things and messing with things. And yeah, I mean, so, you know, I mean, that the same thing, going back even further was synthesize as people thought they were just like, you know, ruin it all as well and stop people being public winning musicians out of work and all that stuff. Well, you know, that didn't happen. Because in the end, people realize that the whole thing about music is it's

the connection with the person who's making that music and what they're singing about and feeling their heart in the music and that emotion. And that's always going to be the most precious thing. So if that goes away, then the music isn't going to travel. It's not going to have any impact on people. So I just try and stick to those principles. You know, live shows, they're unique. You're there for one night and you're breathing the same air as the band. You know, like just remembering the basics of what music is about. It's almost like a mystical thing. You can't see it. You can't see it. You experience it in your head. It's like, wow, it's like really incredible. So as long as we never lose sight of those values, I think would be all right. But sometimes you have to fight for it,

don't you? Yeah, absolutely correct. One thing I find extremely fascinating, when I was going into the studio, we had our two inch tape, we had the analog compressors. Yeah. We had the tube mics, and we had to use our ears. Yeah. Then over the years, we progressed. A lot of the younger engineers and producers coming up, they sort of dismissed all the things that we'd been using. Yeah. Now I find it very interesting because if you look at all the plugins they're using, all they are doing is duplicating the things that we used to use mechanically. What do you think about that?

I think that's such an interesting point to bring up. And for me, the recent work I've been doing, I've been pulling out my old analog synths and playing them and manipulating the sound life and recording that. and then, you know, maybe chopping and editing that. But just the sound of those, I've got a Jupiter 8 just right next to me now. And I just can't believe how good it sounds. I mean, there's plenty of software instruments replicating it. They do not get close to what it actually sounds.

Yeah, exactly. So I've gone back to using the digital, you know, recording ease of that. But going back to playing stuff in, you know, manipulating it and kind of doing performances, basically. and not getting bogged down in the technology that takes away the spontaneity of performance. But that's going to be different for everyone. You know, people who don't have chops to actually play stuff, create wonderful music as well. You know, so there's a million ways to do it. Yeah, that's right.

I don't dismiss any of it. If it sounds good and it moves people, it's good with me. It's good for me. Yes, absolutely. Now, when you look back at your career, is there any one moment that stands out to you where you look at yourself and you go, wow, things are really? really changing for the good or maybe for the bad who knows um i mean there was you know when we did the grommies with you know herbie hancock and stevie wondering and tom it was 1985 and synthesizers and electronic music and drum machines and all that stuff were getting a bad reputation

people were scared of this new this new technology but then bringing those sort of team of people together you know legends herbie and stevie with me and tom was a moment where it kind of gave that new way of making music and those instruments, credibility that it didn't have before. And it just changed, you know, people weren't so afraid of embracing it, you know. How can I say? It's just another class of instruments that we can make new sounds with, so we don't need to worry.

And I think there's a very clever thing that the Grammys did because it did change that overnight, that sort of perception of, you know, those new instruments, yeah. Yeah. Now, with everything you've done, what still excites you about creation? creating and performing even today. I mean, I think that performing in front of an audience is the most exciting thing you can do as an artist.

Yeah, absolutely. Because it's like it really, for me, being on stage is like you really are living in the moment when you're on stage. You cannot be thinking about what's going to happen next or what's just happened. You could only be in that moment. And it's one of those things that it's a wonderful feeling that you're really alive at that. moment and you're sharing that with a room you know thousands of people experiencing the same thing together it's very hard to beat that i don't think i i could ever substitute that as an experience you know it's it's amazing privilege to be able to do that and to be involved with that so i never want to

forget that that for me is um that's the ultimate thing you know and wonderful thing to be doing with your life yeah i totally agree when you're on stage the musicians are all working together and it's just blending so well? Yeah. Add to that, the audience is with you and just loving it too. Yeah. There is no better feeling than that. Yeah, I agree. I agree. It doesn't get any better. So, yeah. When you're in the studio, you get a chance to listen to what you've done the last 20, 30, 40 years. Then you hear what you're doing today and how you've evolved over the years. Do you look at yourself and hear back then the artist that you was trying to become? Or do you see yourself just living in the moment, living in the time to see what you'd evolve into?

Yeah, I don't think I was thinking too much about the future, but I have had to, not had to, but I've been remixing some shows that I did, you know, 40 years ago and realizing there's no fear, you know, with the performance at all. It's completely outrageously spontaneous what I'm doing. And it's reminded me to try and, you know, recover a bit of that as a more mature musician, where you're so maybe a bit more concerned about playing all the right notes and not taking so many risks. So, you know, when I listen back to those early recordings, I think, oh, my, the freedom that I had and the lack of fear, there was nothing to lose, you know. It's just to remember that and bring, you know, you'll never be, you know, 28 again, you know. But just to remember that spirit and bring a bit of that back to the way you are now, yeah.

Yeah, that totally makes sense. Was there a song that you wrote or recorded that you underestimated? At the time, you thought, yeah, it's okay. It'd probably be good for an album cut or whatever. But then it morphed into something bigger and better, and the fans really drew themselves into it. Yeah, I mean, I think no one is to blame was that, was one of those. Because on the first, you know, the first time people heard it was on the Dream Interaction album,

and it was a very stripped back version. And I thought, it was a good album track. But then, as I listened to it more, I realized that maybe, you know, another version would work for to be on the radio. Because it seemed to be, you know, really, really popular with the fans. And so that's what we did. And it has really, you know, deeply affected people in lots of different ways. The lyrics mean a lot of different things to different people. which is unusual for my songs.

My songs are usually pretty straightforward what it's about. Knowing is to blame is a bit more complicated and open to different interpretations. And I think that really has surprised me how much that. So, yeah, so I probably did underestimate that song at first, yeah. Now, is there an almost-didn't-happen time? This event, if you hadn't have done whatever you did or didn't do, things might not be the same as they are today? Yeah, there is. I mean, I'm sort of going right back to the beginning before I got signed.

And, you know, we did showcases up in London at the Marquis Club that we organized ourselves. And, you know, all the record companies came down, all the publishers came down, and they all didn't get it. You know, they heard all the songs that later became like massive hits all over the world. They heard them all. But they didn't want to sign me. They didn't get it. You know, one man back with a mime artist, no. But there was one guy who did get it, and it wasn't that those shows at the market.

He came out to see me in my hometown at the time, High Wickham, and he was with Stiff Records at the time, and he was the sort of marketing director, and he totally got it. He totally got it. And he said, you know, we missed out on Depeche Mode, we're not going to miss out on Howard Jones, right? So I was going to sign to Stiff. There was a night that, you know, the contract was going to come in, I was going to sign it. I was going to have a record deal. It was like a big moment. And he came in to the dressing room, he said, don't sign it. Don't sign it. I've just been offered another job with Warner Brothers.

I'm going to be head of marketing at Warner Brothers. I want you to come with me. And so that was like a pivotal moment to be suddenly with a much bigger label and be one of their first signings of the new team. Rob Dickens was one of them. Max Hull was the other one. And Paul Conroy was the man who believed in me. So, yeah, so that was a pivotal moment. If I had not signed with Stiff, it would have been a very different story.

I'm sure I would have put out records, but it wouldn't have been the platform that I had with WAA. Yeah, it's great things turn out the way they do. Now, is there a song that you wrote that fans just really love, but when you wrote it, you had a different perception or idea in mind, and they completely did not get it? I don't think so. You know, I mean, I'm pretty straightforward with that the songs are about. I mean, there is a song that.

I think should have been a single that the fans loved so much, and it was never a single, which was specialty, which was on Dream Into Action. And it's a song about how everyone is unique. And don't worry, you know, we're all different to each other, but you're special, you're unique and special. And that resonated with so many of the fans, and it was never a single, and I think it should have been.

Yeah, that's too bad that that didn't happen. Is there a song that you wrote and you perform that just never gets sold, no matter how many times you hear it, no matter how many times you perform it, it just sits with you and gives you chills that you can still perform that song. Yeah, I think it would be, you know,

hide and seek from the first album. I've done many different versions of it over the years, you know, totally acoustic versions, piano solo versions. And then recently we've done a brand new electronic version of it, And it still gives me, because, you know, the chorus is hope you find it in everything. That always is such a special message, really. And I get absolute chills when, you know, most times, yeah, yeah.

Okay, let's change the direction just slightly. What's the favorite synth that you've ever used in the studio or performed with? Jupiter 8, without a doubt, and I've got one right next to me here in the studio. Yeah, it's the most amazing synth. All the knobs and faders change the sound dramatically. So it's a real performance synth. You could be manipulating the sound as you're playing. It's just wonderful.

Oh, yeah. It's a great keyboard for sure. Now, what's one word that would describe your musical journey? One word. Well, you know. It doesn't have to be one word. It can be two words. I don't care.

No, I always say I'm not done yet. I still have lots more music. music in me and I just want to keep, yeah. I'm always on a journey to get better. Yeah, yeah, I like that. Never give up. Keep going. If someone listens to your music, let's say 50 years from now, what are you hoping that they take away from it as a writer, as a singer, as a performer, as an artist? What are you hoping for? Well, I hope they get the positive message that I've always tried to put in my work. You know, celebrating difference, celebrating uniqueness, you know, putting out the idea,

it's okay to fail, just learn from it and get back on the horse and, you know, it's going to be fine. You know, and people are great. You know, human beings are amazing. And I hope they get that. And the music side of it, you know, I mean, I hope the tunes still, you know, you can't get out of your head. That's what I deliberately do. doesn't do that to me, then I don't put it out. Tunes that just stay with you forever. And yeah. Well, that's a good way of looking at it for sure. Is there anything that people might not get

about Howard Jones the artist? It might just be a misconception that they just didn't get. I think I know me pretty well, to be honest. But, you know, it's all there. If anybody wants to know me, it's all there in the lyrics of the songs. I've laid it out. So this is, the way I think and this is how I try to live. So it's been pretty clear, I think. I would say I have been an open book. I've always done lots of interviews with anybody who would wish to talk with me. So it's all laid out really. I'm not a secret really. Well, that's a good thing for sure. This way the fans have this conception of what you see is what you get. Now on the lighter side, Is there any one thing that happened during a performance that you will just never forget?

Yeah, I mean, I've, I mean, there's been loads of things. Some of them, I've had it happen that there's been a power cut at a show and literally everything. So the microphone doesn't work. The PA doesn't work. You can't see me because the lights are off. So I just like, what am I going to do? So I just walked to the front of the stage and just told people to come the closest they could. And I just stood there and sang.

And it's been quite sort of magical, really. And it's sort of turned into something that I will never forget and the audience will never forget. Yeah, that's improv at its ultimate best. Yeah. And it's almost like, you know, when those things happen, it's the most fun thing because everyone's going to remember it. It's just how you react as an artist. Are you just run off and a half? Oh, you go, oh, this is an opportunity to like do something really special.

That's right. That is just so exactly perfect. Yeah, yeah, that's right. How do you cope with a really difficult situation and that's how you'd sort of, you know, that's how we see what, that's how people see what you're made of, isn't it? Now, how do people find you, follow you, so that way they can keep up with everything that you're doing? Well, I mean, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, you know, and all all the streamers, you know, yeah, if they want to find the music, yeah, yeah. If you could go back in time and tell your younger self something that you think would be important, what would that be? I said, you're doing it, you're doing a great job, just keep going, keep believing in

yourself. Yeah. And try and enjoy it all because you're so lucky to be in this position. Oh, for sure. Just absolutely enjoy it. Don't worry about the future. It's going to be okay. Yeah, that's for sure.

The beauty of learning how to play piano at age seven. Yeah, yeah. I love it. I started at eight. Oh, right, right, great. Yeah, music is a great thing to be part of, for sure. Great. Fantastic. Yeah, so what you told your younger self, is everything will work out, it certainly has and it's been great.

Yeah, that's right, that's right. Yeah, we're so lucky, aren't we, to be involved with music. We are, we are. I've got a friend that's worked on some great project over the years. Yeah. He made a comment about music that I thought was spot on. We got to see everything. We got to see analog, two-inch tape, then we got to see ADATs, then we got to see the digital transformation.

We got to see everything as it formed over the years. The younger ones coming up now, they don't have the luxury we had because they don't have anything other than the digital processes they've learned to reflect upon where we've got to see it all. Yeah, yeah, that's right. we've seen it all. That's right. It's amazing, isn't it? Seen that huge development, yeah. All the changes, incredible.

It really has. All the changes that have happened is unbelievable, really. Now, if you take it into the keyboard transformation, I remember I was always envious because I had the Hammond organ and the Leslie. Yeah. And then add to that, all the scents that I had to transport to. Yeah. I was always envious of the guitar player because he walked in with an amp and a guitar.

Yes. I know. That's right. Yeah, I know. We still have to be lugging keyboards around, even in the house, you know. And they get away with the easy stuff. Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, they had it made for sure. Yes. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, well, this has certainly been fun. Great, great. Thank you very much, Tony. Yeah, absolutely. This has been great. Great conversation, great information. I really appreciate you taking the time to join us today. Well, thank you very much. Very wonderful interview, Tony. Thank you. It's been my pleasure. Thanks again.

Thanks for joining us today. We hope you enjoyed the show. This has been a Tony Mantor production. For more information, contact media at plateaumusic.com.