Jonathan Noyce

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Jonathan Noyce
J Noyce 17-06.jpg
Background information
Birth nameJonathan Mark Thomas Noyce
Born (1971-07-15) 15 July 1971 (age 53)
Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, England
Genres Progressive rock, folk rock, hard rock, electronic
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, drums
Years active1993 – present
Labels RandM, Fuel 2000, Chrysalis, Eagle, Roadrunner, EMI, Capital, Island

Jonathan Mark Thomas Noyce (born 15 July 1971) [1] is an English musician. He is primarily a bass guitar player. [1] Noyce is known for being a member of British rock group Jethro Tull for 12 years, [1] [2] and also for his collaborations with guitarist Gary Moore, film composer Daniel Pemberton, the band Archive and French artist Mylène Farmer. In 2018 he was awarded an ARAM by the Royal Academy of Music.

Contents

Early life and education

Jonathan Noyce was born in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire. He grew up in the cathedral close of Lichfield Cathedral where his father, Peter, was choirmaster and assistant organist. Mother Jane was a town planner. [2] His first instrument was piano, later also drums and guitar which became a stepping stone to the bass guitar. In his teens Jonathan studied formally, principally classical percussion, which included classical snare drum, timpani and xylophone, also classical contrabass. His first paid gig with the bass was at the age of 18. [3] He is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London. [1]

Career

Early career

Jonathan Noyce started working professionally whilst studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London. During this time he began to make a name as a studio musician, primarily with DJ Dave Lee, consequently enjoying his first commercial success with the British pop group Take That, [4] for whom he supplied bass in the studio in 1993.

In 1993, Jonathan's path crossed with that of former Jethro Tull band member Dee Palmer whilst working on an orchestral version of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with an orchestra from the Royal Academy of Music. As a direct result Jonathan was recruited to play on Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre's 1995 album The Meeting. Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson subsequently asked Noyce to join him on his Divinities world tour later that year. Noyce joined Jethro Tull in August 1995 following the departure of Dave Pegg. [1]

Ongoing career

Outside of Jethro Tull, Noyce had a long establishment with guitarist Gary Moore, [5] joining him on the Old New Ballads Blues album, One Night in Dublin: A Tribute to Phil Lynott, a DVD/CD recording of the concert to commemorate the life of Phil Lynott which featured members of Thin Lizzy, and the release of Moore's final recorded show Live at Montreux 2010. [6] In 2010 Noyce re-united with Gary Moore for his Summer of Rock shows throughout Europe. This band also included drummer and friend Darrin Mooney and, following a 21-year hiatus, keyboard and guitar player Neil Carter. This Celtic-Rock project came to an end with the sudden death of Moore on 6 February 2011. [5]

In 2007 Noyce joined the UK band Archive. [7]

On 1st and 2nd May 2009 Noyce played at two sold-out concerts at Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, UK where Rick Wakeman performed the music from his progressive rock concept album 'The Six Wives of Henry VIII'. The two shows were recorded; a 2-CD copy of which were available for attendees to purchase at the end of each performance. Wakeman said that the general release CD and subsequent video were from the second night's concert, with no overdubs or editing.

In 2010 Noyce had commercial successes with the release of French Mylène Farmer's album Bleu Noir , for which he supplied all the bass guitar tracks. [8] He played for Love Amongst Ruin's debut gig at Eurosonic Festival in January 2010. [9]

In 2012 Noyce joined [10] his old Jethro Tull bandmate Martin Barre for live shows across Europe.

In 2013 Noyce played on Martin Barre's solo album Away With Words. [11] The same year he had been joined Sixto Rodriguez for a run of shows that included the Montreux Jazz Festival and Glastonbury Festival.

In 2014 Noyce joined the Gentle Giant offshoot band Three Friends, featuring former members Gary Green and Malcolm Mortimore. Other work includes playing on the soundtracks to the films I Am Ali [12] and The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the later with Daniel Pemberton. Archive released a film, Axiom, and returned to Montreux Jazz Festival to perform the soundtrack live.

In 2015 Archive's album Restriction features Noyce on bass guitars. [13]

In 2016 Noyce played bass [14] on the soundtrack of the film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword by Guy Ritchie. The same year, he played on the album The False Foundation [15] by Archive.

In 2019, Noyce performed on the soundtrack of the film Yesterday . [16]

Style and equipment

Noyce likes to play a style which he calls 'stealth bass': "you can't hear it, but you feel it." [17] He also described the bass guitar as his bands "secret weapon", due to its ability to provide rhythm as well as melody. [18]

His bass guitars have included a Yamaha BB1100s, a 1960 Fender Precision, a Music Man StingRay [19] and three custom-made Wal. [20] [21] Noyce is currently using a Yamaha BBP34 as his main instrument. [22]

His pedalboard was built and designed by Custom Chain Pedal Systems and includes a Boss OC2 custom modification by Pete Cornish, an Audio Kitchen Big Trees pre-amp, an RMI Basswitch switching unit, three distortion units and Lehle Mono volume and Sunday Driver buffer pedals. His live rig features a Skrydstrup custom preamp. In the studio he uses Radial Firefly, JDV and JDI DI units. [23] He uses the Big Cheese fuzzbox from Lovetone. [24]

In addition to bass guitars, Noyce has also used the Minimoog and Moog Taurus synthesizers for bass. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jethro Tull (band)</span> British rock band

Jethro Tull are a British rock band formed in Blackpool, Lancashire in 1967. Initially playing blues rock and jazz fusion, the band soon incorporated elements of English folk music, hard rock and classical music, forging a signature progressive rock sound. The group's founder, bandleader, principal composer, lead vocalist, and only constant member is Ian Anderson, a multi-instrumentalist who mainly plays flute and acoustic guitar. The group has featured a succession of musicians throughout the decades, including significant contributors such as guitarists Mick Abrahams and Martin Barre ; bassists Glenn Cornick, Jeffrey Hammond, John Glascock, Dave Pegg, Jonathan Noyce, and David Goodier; drummers Clive Bunker, Barrie "Barriemore" Barlow and Doane Perry; and keyboardists John Evan, Dee Palmer, Peter-John Vettese, Andrew Giddings, and John O'Hara.

<i>A</i> (Jethro Tull album) 1980 studio album by Jethro Tull

A is the 13th studio album by British rock band Jethro Tull. It was released on 29 August 1980 in the UK and 1 September of the same year in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Anderson</span> Scottish musician, leader of Jethro Tull

Ian Scott Anderson is a British musician best known for his work as the singer, flautist, acoustic guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member of the rock band Jethro Tull. He is a multi-instrumentalist who also plays harmonica, keyboards, bass guitar, bouzouki, balalaika, saxophone and a variety of whistles. His solo work began with Walk into Light in 1983; since then he has released another five albums, including the sequel to the 1972 Jethro Tull album Thick as a Brick, titled TaaB 2: Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock? (2012).

<i>J-Tull Dot Com</i> 1999 studio album by Jethro Tull

J-Tull Dot Com is the 20th studio album by the British band Jethro Tull, released in 1999 on Papillon, the Chrysalis Group's late 1990s heritage record label. It was released four years after their 1995 album Roots to Branches and continues in the same vein, marrying hard rock with Eastern music influences. It is the first album to feature Jonathan Noyce on bass, who would remain with the band until 2007 in Jethro Tull's longest ever unchanged line-up. This was the last Jethro Tull album to feature all original, new material for 23 years, although the band did release a Christmas album in 2003, which contained a mixture of new material, re-recordings of Tull's own suitably themed material and arrangements of traditional Christmas music.

<i>Roots to Branches</i> 1995 studio album by Jethro Tull

Roots to Branches is the 19th studio album by the British band Jethro Tull released in September 1995. It carries characteristics of Tull's classic 1970s progressive rock and folk rock roots alongside jazz and Arabic and Indian influences. All songs were written by Ian Anderson and recorded at his home studio. This is the last Tull album to feature Dave Pegg on the bass, and the first to feature keyboardist Andrew Giddings as an official band member, although he had contributed to Catfish Rising (1991) on a sessional basis. As a result, the album notably features the five longest serving members to date in Jethro Tull’s history. It was also the final Tull album to be released through long-time label Chrysalis Records.

<i>The Jethro Tull Christmas Album</i> 2003 studio album by Jethro Tull

The Jethro Tull Christmas Album is the 21st studio album released by Jethro Tull, on 30 September 2003. This was the band's last studio album for 19 years, as well as the last album to feature the lineup of Ian Anderson, guitarist Martin Barre, bassist Jonathan Noyce, keyboardist Andrew Giddings, and drummer Doane Perry.

<i>Benefit</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Jethro Tull

Benefit is the third studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released in April 1970. It was the first Tull album to include pianist and organist John Evan – though he was not yet considered a permanent member of the group – and the last to include bass guitarist Glenn Cornick, who was fired from the band upon completion of touring for the album. It was recorded at Morgan Studios, the same studio where the band recorded its previous album Stand Up; however, they experimented with more advanced recording techniques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Barre</span> British guitarist (born 1946)

Martin Lancelot Barre is an English guitarist best known for his longtime role as lead guitarist of British rock band Jethro Tull, with whom he recorded and toured from 1968 until the band's initial dissolution in 2011. Barre played on all of Jethro Tull's studio albums from their 1969 album Stand Up to their 2003 album The Jethro Tull Christmas Album. In the early 1990s he began a solo career, and he has recorded several albums as well as touring with his own live band.

<i>Catfish Rising</i> 1991 studio album by Jethro Tull

Catfish Rising is the 18th studio album by the British rock group Jethro Tull, released on 10 September 1991. It is the first Tull album to feature keyboardist Andrew Giddings. The album continues the hard rock and blues sound of the previous two albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clive Bunker</span> British rock drummer

Clive William Bunker is a British drummer. Bunker is best known as the original drummer of the rock band Jethro Tull, playing in the band from 1967 until 1971. Never a self-professed technical drummer, Bunker engaged with the essence of blues and rock and roll, influenced by Ginger Baker and Mitch Mitchell. He was also inspired by Buddy Rich and The Hollies' Bobby Elliott.

Michael Timothy Abrahams is an English guitarist and band leader, best known for being the original guitarist for Jethro Tull from 1967 to 1968 and the frontman for Blodwyn Pig.

<i>Slipstream</i> (video) 1981 video by Jethro Tull

Slipstream is a video by Jethro Tull, recorded during the 1980 A tour, released in 1981. It was originally released on VHS, Capacitance Electronic Disc, and laserdisc, and was released as a (bootleg) DVD in Brazil in 2003. It is also included in the (2004) bonus DVD edition of A. This bonus DVD was the only official release on DVD until it was released as part of the 40th anniversary box set of A in April 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Giddings</span> British musician

Andrew Giddings is an English musician. He primarily plays keyboard instruments and is best known as a former member of British rock group Jethro Tull, for whom he was the longest serving keyboardist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Glascock</span> English musician (1951–1979)

John Glascock was a British musician. He was the bassist and occasional lead vocalist of the rock band Carmen from 1972 to 1975; and the bass guitarist for progressive rock band Jethro Tull from 1976 until his death in 1979. Glascock died at the age of 28 as a result of a congenital heart valve defect, which was worsened by an infection caused by an abscessed tooth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenn Cornick</span> British bass player (1947–2014)

Glenn Douglas Barnard Cornick was an English bass guitarist, best known as the original bassist for the British rock band Jethro Tull from 1967 to 1970. Rolling Stone has called his playing with Tull as "stout, nimble underpinning, the vital half of a blues-ribbed, jazz-fluent rhythm section".

<i>Live at Montreux 2003</i> (Jethro Tull album) 2007 video by Jethro Tull

Live at Montreux 2003 is a video and a live album by British rock band Jethro Tull, released in 2007. It was recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival where the band played in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Hammond (musician)</span> Musical artist

Scott Hammond is an English drummer. He plays with Ian Anderson and has also toured and recorded with Jethro Tull itself. He has been described as a "Jazz drummer with rock influences".

"Heavy Horses" is a song written by Ian Anderson and performed by his band Jethro Tull. The song was released on the 1978 album of the same name. Written as a tribute to horses, the song features folk rock elements that rebelled against the musical trends of the period.

<i>The Zealot Gene</i> 2022 studio album by Jethro Tull

The Zealot Gene is the 22nd studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released on 28 January 2022 by Inside Out Music. Nearly five years in production, it is their first studio album since The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003), and their first of all original material since J-Tull Dot Com (1999), marking the longest gap between the band's studio albums.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Artist Biography by Gary Hill". AllMusic. 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Jonathan Noyce, Bass Guitar". Jethro Tull . jethrotull.com. 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  3. ↑ "A Few Words With...Jonathan Noyce". Progsheet. progsheet1.hypermart.net. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  4. ↑ "Jonathan Noyce". Tull Past & Present. Angelfire . Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  5. 1 2 "Robert William GARY MOORE". Gary Moore . gary-moore.com. 2015. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "Gary Moore – Live At Montreux 2010". Discogs. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  7. ↑ "Archive Jonathan Noyce". SPIRIT OF ROCK. spirit-of-rock.com. 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Mylène Farmer Bleu Noir Credits". AllMusic. 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Jonathan Noyce". Jethrotull.com. 6 February 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  10. ↑ "Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre takes high road on TAAB2 rift". Goldmine . goldminemag.com. 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  11. ↑ "MARTIN BARRE & JONATHAN NOYCE BAND". where‘s up?. wheresup.com. 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Song Credits". Soundtrack.Net. 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Restriction". AllMusic. 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  14. ↑ "Daniel Pemberton King Arthur: Legend of the Sword [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] Credits". AllMusic. 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  15. ↑ "The False Foundation". AllMusic. 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  16. ↑ "Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Yesterday". AllMusic. 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  17. ↑ "JETHRO TULL: (LIVING WITH THE PAST) - 2001 LIVE CONCERT FOOTAGE. 33:48". Jethro Tull . 2015. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2015– via YouTube.
  18. ↑ Ashton, Adrian (2006). The Bass Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering the Bass Guitar. Backbeat Books. ISBN   9781476853017.
  19. ↑ "Music Man Stingray Bass". equipboard.com. Equipboard. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  20. ↑ "A Few Words With...Jonathan Noyce". Progsheet. progsheet1.hypermart.net. 5 January 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  21. ↑ "Fender Precision Bass". equipboard.com. Equipboard. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  22. ↑ Liebman, Jon. "Jonathan Noyce". forbassplayersonly.com. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  23. ↑ "Radial Artists - Bassists". radialeng.com. 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  24. ↑ "Lovetone-Big-Cheese". equipboard.com. Equipboard. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  25. ↑ "Archive – Controlling Crowds". Discogs. 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
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