Jack Hues

Last updated

Jack Hues
Birth nameJeremy Allan Ryder
Born (1954-12-10) 10 December 1954 (age 69)
Origin Gillingham, Kent, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer
  • guitarist
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • keyboards
  • piano
Years active
  • 1977–1992
  • 1994–1995
  • 2005–present
Labels
Member of Wang Chung
Formerly of Strictly Inc.
Website jackhues.com

Jeremy Allan Ryder, better known as Jack Hues (born 10 December 1954), is an English singer, songwriter and musician who is best known for forming and fronting the 1980s English new wave band Wang Chung. Hues was also a member of the one-off band Strictly Inc.

Contents

Life and career

Early life

Jack Hues was born on 10 December 1954 in Gillingham, Kent, England, the oldest of four children of Robina (née Pratt) and Allan Sidney Ryder. He was an avid listener to artists such as the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix before becoming interested in progressive rock groups like Yes and Genesis. [1] Hues then found a passion in classical music, and attended London's Goldsmiths College to study music. After three years, he went on to attend the Royal College of Music. It was at this time that Hues befriended Dave Burnand, who went on to be a member of Huang Chung. After one year at RCM, he decided on leaving to pursue a career in music. [1]

1977–1991: Wang Chung era

In 1977, Hues answered an advertisement in the British weekly music magazine, Melody Maker . This was the first time he met future Wang Chung bass guitarist Nick Feldman. [2] With the rising punk music movement around England in the late 1970s, the two formed together as 'The Intellektuals' in mid-1977. [2] Two years later, Hues and Feldman formed the band, '57 Men'. While in 57 Men, the two met future Wang Chung drummer Darren Costin. Like their first band together, Hues and Feldman broke up within eighteen months, but took along Costin. [2] [3]

In late 1979 the threesome became referred to as Huang Chung (anglicization of Chinese words meaning "Yellow Bell"). They released several singles in 1980 for the independent music company, Rewind Records. [4] In May 1981 Huang Chung signed a recording contract with Arista Records for a two-album deal. The next year the band released their self-titled debut studio album. By 1983 the spelling of the band's name was changed to Wang Chung, and Hues became the band's lead vocalist. [4] [5] After the summer tour for Points on the Curve in 1984 Costin left the band to pursue a solo career. [4] Despite not having a full-time drummer, Wang Chung continued to thrive. For the next six years, Wang Chung enjoyed success, especially in the UK and US.

1991–1992: Solo work

Before Wang Chung's break-up in 1991 Hues scored the soundtrack of the supernatural horror film The Guardian (1990). [6] The director of the film, William Friedkin, chose Hues because of his work on his 1985 film To Live and Die in L.A. . He also made a solo studio album, The Anatomy Lesson, in 1992 for Sony Records. However, for reasons unknown, his solo debut album was shelved. [6] [7]

1994–1995: Strictly Inc.

In 1994, Tony Banks of Genesis heard samples of Hues' work. He admired it and asked him to compose a new album together. On 11 September 1995 Strictly Inc. was released. The studio album received mixed reviews. [8]

1997–2005: Wang Chung reunions

In 1997 Hues and Nick Feldman briefly reunited for the release of the compilation album Everybody Wang Chung Tonight: Wang Chung's Greatest Hits . [9]

In 2000, Wang Chung performed in the Club 80's Flashback Tour and headlined a tour of their own afterwards. In 2005, Wang Chung appeared on the competition reality show Hit Me, Baby, One More Time to perform "Everybody Have Fun Tonight". They lost the round to Irene Cara.

2003–2011: The Quartet

In the early 2000s, Hues began teaching songwriting at Christ Church University in Canterbury. [10]

In 2003, Hues was one of the founding members of a jazz-influenced quintet with Sam Bailey called Illuminated. Their inspirations included Miles Davis, Johannes Brahms, and Aphex Twin. [11] Eventually the quintet became The Quartet. Their debut studio album Illuminated was released in 2007 and their second Shattering in 2008 – both released to critical acclaim. [12] [13] The Quartet is signed with Helium Records, headed by Chris Hughes who helped produce Wang Chung's Points on the Curve in 1983. [13] In 2010 the Quartet joined forces with Syd Arthur, a Canterbury psychedelic rock band whose members studied with Hues while at Christ Church University. [14] Together the two groups played a medley of tracks from Soft Machine, a rearranged Stravinsky violin concerto, and the Beck song "Nobody's Fault but My Own" at the Orange Street Music Club. [14] In 2012 both bands reunited inside a barn to record the Beck song, and in 2019 it was released on Bandcamp for purchase through digital download and vinyl.

In 2011, Hues wrote the music for his son Jack Ryder's first film Act of Memory .

2020–present: Primitif

In March 2020, Hues released his debut solo studio album, Primitif. Before releasing the album, singles were produced for the songs "Whitstable Beach" and "Winter". [15]

Personal life

Ryder's stage name, "Jack Hues", is a play on the French phrase, j'accuse, which means "I accuse" in English. [3] He has a daughter and two sons, one of whom is the actor Jack Ryder.

Discography

Solo studio albums

Soundtrack albums

Live albums

with Wang Chung

with Strictly Inc.

with the Quartet

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wang Chung (band)</span> British new wave band

Wang Chung are an English new wave band, formed in London in 1980 by Nick Feldman, Jack Hues and Darren Costin. The name Wang Chung is Chinese, meaning "yellow bell" in English, and is the first note in the Chinese classical music scale. The band found their greatest success in the US, with five top 40 hits there, all charting between 1983 and 1987, including "Dance Hall Days", "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and "Let's Go!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody Have Fun Tonight</span> 1986 Single by Wang Chung

"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" is a song by the English new wave band Wang Chung, released as a single from their fourth studio album Mosaic in 1986. Collaboratively written by Jack Hues, Nick Feldman, and Peter Wolf, it reached no. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart during the 1986 Christmas season, behind "Walk Like an Egyptian" by the Bangles. It also hit No. 1 on the Canada RPM Top 100 Singles chart the week of 17 January 1987. With some different lyrics, the original ballad version of the song was placed on the B-side.

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<i>Points on the Curve</i> 1984 studio album by Wang Chung

Points on the Curve is the second studio album by English new wave band Wang Chung, released in 1984.

<i>Strictly Inc.</i> 1995 studio album by Strictly Inc.

Strictly Inc. is the self-titled project album, released by Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks and Wang Chung lead vocalist Jack Hues, in 1995 on Virgin Records. Banks wanted the album release—as the title suggested—with no reference to the band members, but the record company went against his wishes. This was Banks' fifth studio album, his second issued under a band name, his seventh album overall and his most recent pop album to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance Hall Days</span> 1982 single by Wang Chung

"Dance Hall Days" is a song by the English new wave band Wang Chung. It was originally released as a single in 1982 when the band was called Huang Chung, then it was re-recorded and released a year later in 1983 for the studio album Points on the Curve. It was the band's only single to make the top 40 in the UK. In the US, it peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went to number one on the Dance Club Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobody's Fault but My Own</span> 1999 single by Beck

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<i>The Warmer Side of Cool</i> 1989 studio album by Wang Chung

The Warmer Side of Cool is the fifth studio album by Wang Chung released in May 1989 by Geffen Records. The album marked an artistic change from the new wave sound of their previous albums into a more traditional rock sound. Commercially, the album was a disappointment, peaking at #123 on the Billboard 200 in its sixth and final week on the chart. Despite poor sales, the album managed to provide a minor hit with "Praying to a New God", which peaked at #63 on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 27, 1989. Another song, "Swing", was scheduled to be the second single from The Warmer Side Of Cool, but its release was ultimately cancelled.

<i>Mosaic</i> (Wang Chung album) 1986 studio album by Wang Chung

Mosaic is the fourth studio album by the English new wave band Wang Chung, released on 14 October 1986 by Geffen Records. The album was commercially successful, producing three US Top 40 songs: "Everybody Have Fun Tonight", "Let's Go!", and "Hypnotize Me". Mosaic earned a Gold certification by the RIAA and peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard 200 album charts.

<i>To Live and Die in L.A.</i> (soundtrack)

To Live and Die in L.A. is the third studio album by the English new wave band Wang Chung. It was released on 30 September 1985 by Geffen and is their first recording as a duo of lead vocalist Jack Hues and bassist Nick Feldman following the departure of drummer Darren Costin. The album served as the soundtrack for the 1985 film To Live and Die in L.A, directed by William Friedkin. Instead of following up the success that Points on the Curve (1983) had provided them, the band switched gears to produce an original motion picture soundtrack. The switch allowed for them to experiment with different styles of music from the more conventional pop music found on their previous studio album.

<i>Huang Chung</i> (album) 1982 Wang Chung album

Huang Chung is the self-titled debut studio album by the English new wave band Huang Chung. Huang Chung was released on March 1982 on both vinyl and cassette. Included on the album cover is the name of the band in Chinese meaning the first note in the Chinese classical music scale. On 19 September 1995, One Way Records re-released the album on CD under license from Arista Records. The album has since been discontinued.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Go! (Wang Chung song)</span> 1987 Single by Wang Chung

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References

  1. 1 2 "Archive – Jack Hues". WangChung. 11 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Biography 1975 – 1979". WangChung. 15 June 2008. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  3. 1 2 Stephen SPAZ Schnee (1 August 2013). "An EXCLUSIVE Interview With WANG CHUNG's Jack Hues!". Discussion Magazine.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "Biography 1980 – 1984". WangChung. 19 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  5. ↑ Ellenberger, Kurt (21 February 2013). "TAZER UP! Jack Hues from Wang Chung on Music, the '80s & Their New Recording". HuffPost . Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Archive – Jack Hues Other Projects". WangChung. 1 November 2007. Archived from the original on 1 November 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Popdose Interview: Jack Hues". Popdose. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  8. ↑ "Archive – Jack Hues Strictly Inc". WangChung. 31 July 2008. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  9. ↑ "Biography 1995 – 1999". WangChung. 31 July 2007. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Interview with Jack Hues from Wang Chung and The Quartet". Also Sprach FraKathustra. 9 April 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  11. ↑ "Biography 2000 – 2004". WangChung. 19 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  12. ↑ "About – Jack Hues and The Quartet". Jack Hues and The Quartet. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  13. 1 2 "Biography 2005 – 2010". WangChung. 31 July 2008. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  14. 1 2 Thompson, Gareth (16 March 2019). "Album Review: Jack Hues & The Quartet Ft. Syd Arthur – Nobody's Fault But My Own". Moof Mag. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  15. ↑ Ewing, Jerry (15 November 2019). "Jack Hues premieres video for debut single Whitstable Beach with Prog". LouderSound. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
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