His debut solo album was announced in June 2024 along with the release of the album's first single 'Breathe'.[1] He is the lead singer and guitarist in the alternative rock band Trampolene, and is also the guitarist in Peter Doherty and the Puta Madres. Jones is also known for his spoken word poetry, being the subject of a BBC Radio 4 documentary titled "Another Swansea Poet" broadcast in 2019.[2]
Jones' first novel Swansea to Hornsey was published by Strap Originals on 17 November 2023.[3]
He was born in Swansea and currently lives between London, Berlin and Swansea.[4]
Jones is songwriter, guitarist and lead singer in the band Trampolene, and although he has performed as a solo artist during this time he officially launched his solo career in June 2024.[1]
During May 2016, Jones supported Peter Doherty on his UK "Eudaimonia" tour[5] and played guitar for him. Venues included Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom and two nights at Hackney Empire in London.[6] He also performed at The Libertines secret show at The Boogaloo, London in July 2016.[7]
In 2016 he performed solo at Latitude Festival, whose website describes him as a "music icon".[8]
In November 2016, the day after Trampolene headlined at The Water Rats in London, Jones flew to Argentina to become Doherty's lead guitarist in his band the Puta Madres, for a November/December 2016 tour of Argentina, France and UK.[9][citation needed] They played two shows for the reopening of Le Bataclan in Paris, followed by a week's tour across France and then Kentish Town Forum in London and Manchester Albert Hall. Jones opened the shows with a solo music and spoken word set, before rejoining the stage as Peter's lead guitarist.[9] He was described in a five star review in The Independent as "Swansea's finest" and "sickeningly talented".[10]
Jones played two solo shows at the end of 2016, Kazoopa Festival, Leeds in November[11] and This Feeling's New Year's Eve night at Nambucca, London.[12]
He played two solo shows at Russell Brand's charity Trew Era Cafe,[13] toured European and South American festivals across Europe in the summer as Doherty's guitarist and a performed a solo acoustic and spoken word set and a DJ set at Glastonbury festival.
In November 2017 Jones was interviewed by Janice Long and played acoustic songs live on her BBC Radio Wales show. He was also featured on the promotional video for Swansea's bid for City of Culture.[14]
Jones was featured on "Red Stripe Presents: This Feeling TV" in May 2018.[15]
To commemorate Trampolene's appearance at BBC Music's Biggest Weekend in Swansea in May 2018, Jones was featured in a "Wonder Wall" mural of Welsh musicians, by street artist Pure Evil.[16]
His debut solo single, the AA side "Swim Up"/"It's Not My Thing" was released on 7 September 2018 and was played regularly on BBC Radio 1, Radio 6 and Radio X. The single was written with and features Mike Moore, who also plays guitar for Liam Gallagher.[17]
In October 2018 he played instore gigs and signing sessions on a short tour of Japan.[18]
He played guitar and sang with Doherty on BBC Radio 4's "Loose Ends", broadcast on 13 April[20] and on John Kennedy's Xposure show on Radio X, broadcast 30 April 2019.[21]
Jones supported Peter Doherty at PowerHaus (formally Dingwalls) in Camden, London on 24 and 25 July 2021.[22]
In November 2021 he completed his first solo tour, playing in Cardiff, London, Manchester and Glasgow with a set of music, spoken word poetry and anecdotes.[23]
In 2022 Jones played solo shows in Swansea, Manchester, London and Basingstoke, plus the Love Trails festival in Gower, Wales.[24] In December 2022 he returned to play The Bunkhouse in Swansea and ended the year with a New Year's Eve show at the Albion Rooms, Margate.
In April 2023 he supported Peter Doherty on a solo tour in Germany.[25]
In 2024 following the announcement of his solo album, Jones debuted his new guitar-free songs firstly at a Strap Originals birthday celebration at the 100 Club in London, then a set at Strummerville stage at Glastonbury festival, filming the videos for his singles "Who Let the Bass Pump Through the Floor" and "Peaches Out Of Reach" whilst at the festival.[26] He supported Peter Doherty in Manchester[27] and Wolverhampton in August.
Spoken word
In addition to his poems being an integral part of Trampolene as a band, Jack Jones also performs spoken word poetry as a solo artist. Dr John Cooper Clarke has described his writing as "...exceptional poetry, funny and depressing at the same time and how often can you say that."[28][29]
The video for Health & Wellbeing (at Wood Green Job Centre) was premiered on The Guardian website,[30]Ketamine was premiered on Vice Noisey on 21 October 2015,[31]Pound Land was premiered on Gigwise on 18 December 2015.[32] Gigwise said of Jack Jones "indie has a new poster boy" in their article "Artists who are going to own 2016".[33] Music business legend and 1965 Records owner James Endeacott described Trampolene as a "great band and their singer Jack is a wonder" when sharing the video for Artwork of Youth on his blog.[34]
In January 2016 he was personally invited by Peter Doherty and Carl Barât of The Libertines to perform on their sell-out arena tour. He performed two poems and then welcomed the band to the stage in front of 20,000 fans. In his first feature in the NME he is introduced as "Jack Jones, singer in Welsh indie rockers Trampolene, plucked from life living in the back of his broken-down van to follow in the proud pre-Libs poetry footsteps of none other than Russell Brand."[38] On 7 September 2016 he reprised this role to perform his "To Be A Libertine" poem and introduce The Libertines at Brixton Academy for their Unity Rocks charity show.[39]
Jack Jones was the subject of a BBC Radio 4 documentary called "Another Swansea Poet", broadcast on 31 March 2019.[2]
He performed a spoken word and solo music set at the Mother Wolf Club night in London on 24 June 2021.[40]
His first solo tour in November 2021 included his spoken word poetry, songs and anecdotes.[41]
Writing and other media
Jones' first fashion shoot was for OutThere Style magazine, published February 2016[42] and was featured wearing jewellery for Pirate Treasures "Stage Style" collection also in February 2016.[43]
Jones wrote an article for The Guardian which was published on 18 March 2016.[44]
On 15 June 2016 the NME published a poem Jones wrote for them about the UK's EU Referendum, based on The Clash song "Should I Stay or Should I Go?".[45]
In July 2022 he was a guest on the Gig Stories podcast recorded live at Kendal Calling festival, where he was performing with Trampolene.[46]
Jones' first novel Swansea to Hornsey was published by Strap Originals on 17 November 2023.[3]
Influences
Jones' writing influences include Julian Cope and Dylan Thomas[47] and according to The Musical Manual his spoken word poem Ketamine "shares stark resemblance to workings of punk-poet legend, John Cooper Clarke.".[48] Even the Stars music blog described "Ketamine" as "laced with wit and humour and the other ["Pound Land"] a droll comical observation of modern life based around a visit to Poundland".[49] Jones has been described as a "singer, guitarist and full-on enigma",[50] a "fine poet...With a John Cooper Clarke-esque delivery of his sideways glance into the uglier corners of modern society...wistful and witty poems"[51] and as having "extraordinary stage presence".[52]
Personal life
Jones is a lifelong Swansea City fan. In addition to supporting the Welsh side, he is a follower of Southampton, due to his father hailing from the city.[53]
Related Research Articles
The Libertines are an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât (vocals/guitar) and Pete Doherty (vocals/guitar). The band, centred on the songwriting partnership of Barât and Doherty, has also included John Hassall (bass), and Gary Powell (drums) for most of its recording career. The band was part of the garage rock revival and spearheaded the movement in the UK.
Peter Doherty is an English musician. He is best known for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he formed with Carl Barât in 1997. His other musical projects are indie bands Babyshambles and Peter Doherty and the Puta Madres.
The Coral are an English rock band, formed in 1996 in Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula, Merseyside. The band emerged during the early 2000s. Their 2002 debut album The Coral, from which came the single "Dreaming of You", was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and listed as the fourth best album of the year by NME. Their second album, Magic and Medicine (2003), produced four UK Top 20 singles, including "Pass It On". In 2008, after guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones left the band, they continued as a five-piece.
Razorlight are an English indie rock band, formed in 2002 in London by lead singer and guitarist Johnny Borrell. Along with Borrell, the current line-up of the band is composed of founding members Björn Ågren on guitar and bassist Carl Delemo, as well as drummer Andy Burrows. This lineup is a reunion of the lineup from the band's second and third albums.
Babyshambles are an English rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty during a hiatus from the Libertines. As of 2024 the band included Mick Whitnall, Drew McConnell, Patrick Walden and Adam Ficek. Babyshambles have released three albums—Down in Albion (2005), Shotter's Nation (2007) and Sequel to the Prequel (2013)—three EPs and a number of singles.
Up the Bracket is the debut album by English indie rock band The Libertines, released in October 2002. It reached #35 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was part of a resurgence for the British indie/alternative scene and received widespread praise from critics and has quickly become considered one of the greatest albums of the 2000s.
Carl Ashley Raphael Barât is a British musician best known for being the co-frontman with Pete Doherty of the indie rock band the Libertines. He was the frontman and guitarist of Dirty Pretty Things, and in 2010 debuted a solo album. In 2014 he announced the creation of his new band, the Jackals.
The Libertines is the second studio album by English indie rock band The Libertines. Released on 30 August 2004, it is particularly biographical of the relationship between frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling 72,189 copies in its first week of release.
Jonathan Edward Borrell is an English guitarist and singer, currently the frontman of the rock band Razorlight.
Edward Henry Richard Harcourt-Smith is an English singer-songwriter. To date, he has released ten studio albums, two EPs, and thirteen singles. His debut album, Here Be Monsters, was nominated for the 2001 Mercury Prize. Since 2007 he has been writing for other artists, including Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Paloma Faith, and has performed with Marianne Faithfull and the Libertines. His music is influenced by Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and Jeff Buckley, among others.
Patrick George Walden is best known as the former guitarist for Babyshambles. Prior to joining Babyshambles, Walden belonged to a variety of London groups, among which were Fluid, the Six Cold Thousand, and The White Sport. He played guitar for The White Sport alongside another future Babyshambles member, drummer Adam Ficek. Walden also worked as a live guitarist and as a session musician, playing bass and guitar for numerous recording artists. Among those acts were Whitey, James Blunt, 500 and Crave, Ed Laliq, and, very briefly, The Honeymoon.
Dirty Pretty Things were an English rock band fronted by Carl Barât, a member of The Libertines. The formation of the band was announced in September 2005, after a dispute between Barât and Pete Doherty led to the breakup of The Libertines in 2004. Barât had worked with Vertigo Records and had previously revealed that his new project was with the label. Didz Hammond announced he was leaving the Cooper Temple Clause to join the band alongside Libertines drummer Gary Powell and guitarist Anthony Rossomando, who had filled in for Doherty following his departure from The Libertines. They played their first shows in October 2005 in Rome, Italy and Paris, France. They announced their split on 1 October 2008 and played their final shows during November that year.
Bombay Bicycle Club is an English indie rock band from Crouch End, London, consisting of Jack Steadman, Jamie MacColl, Suren de Saram, and Ed Nash. They are guitar-fronted and have experimented with different genres, including folk, electronica, world music and indie rock.
KAV is a British musician from Leicester, England, now based in Los Angeles. Sandhu played guitar with British band Happy Mondays for four years after helping reform the band with frontman Shaun Ryder in 2004. He launched his solo project under moniker "KAV" in 2008 with long-time friend and drummer Jim (James) Portas. His solo material has been compared by the media to Iggy and the Stooges, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Primal Scream, Kasabian, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. He uses a full band for live performances, which sometimes features guest musicians from various bands.
Jeffrey Wootton is an English musician, guitarist and songwriter from Manchester. He has been the lead guitarist in the Gorillaz live band since 2010.
Trampolene are a Welsh alternative rock / indie punk band originally from Swansea. They are Jack Jones, Wayne Thomas and Kyle "Mr" Williams.
Deadcuts were an English post punk group formed in 2012 by former Senseless Things front man, Mark Keds (vocals/guitar) and Jerome Alexandre . Keds was also known for his previous work with The Wildhearts and Jolt, as well as co-writing The Libertines' "Can't Stand Me Now".
Peter Doherty and the Puta Madres are a British band, formed by Pete Doherty and is his third musical project after the Libertines and Babyshambles. The band's first album, the self titled Peter Doherty and The Puta Madres, was released on 26 April 2019. On 28 January 2019 they released their debut single, "Who's Been Having You Over", followed by "Paradise is Under Your Nose" on 5 April.
She Drew the Gun are a band from Wirral, England, fronted by singer/songwriter Louisa Roach. They won the Glastonbury Festival Emerging Talent competition in 2016. Their music is described as psych pop and is known for its often political lyrics.
Roger Sargent is a British photographer known for his work with bands and musicians.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
