Humans Lib (2018 Expanded & Remastered Edition) Howard Jones

• 1 Conditioning 04:34
• 2 What Is Love? 06:33
• 3 Pearl In The Shell 04:00
• 4 Hide And Seek 05:39
• 5 Hunt The Self 03:42
• 6 New Song 04:15
• 7 Don't Always Look At The Rain 04:12
• 8 Equality 04:28
• 9 Natural 04:27
• 10 Human's Lib 04:05
• 11 China Dance 03:56
• 12 New Song (Portuguese 7" Single Mix) 04:07
• 13 What Is Love? (Rough Mix) 03:59
• 14 Don't Put These Curses on Me (Instrumental) 03:22
• 15 Human's Lib (Farmyard Mix) 03:54
• 16 Pearl in the Shell (Rough Mix) 04:11
• 17 New Song (Mix Take 1) 04:20
• 18 New Song (Alternative 12") 06:31
• 19 What Is Love? (Extended Mix) 06:36
• 20 Hide and Seek (Long Version) 08:34
• 21 Pearl In the Shell (12 '' Version) 08:59
• 22 Conditioning (Original Mix) 04:08
• 23 New Song (New Extended Mix) 05:46
• 24 Hunt the Self (Live at The Marquee) 05:30
• 25 Bounce Right Back (Instrumental) 04:07
• 26 Total Conditioning (12" Version) 08:00
• 27 Law Of The Jungle 03:18
• 28 Always Asking Questions (Rough Mix) 04:05
• 29 Equality (Rough Mix) 04:20
• 30 Hide and Seek (Rough Mix) 05:49
• Total Runtime 02:29:27

Info for Humans Lib (2018 Expanded & Remastered Edition)

Digitally remastered and expanded edition. Released in March 1984, Human's Lib entered the UK Album Charts at #1 selling over 100,000 copies in the first week and spending a total of 57 weeks in the chart whilst achieving Double Platinum status with sales in excess of 600,000 copies. Four songs from this album were released as singles in the UK, all of which reached the Top 20: 'New Song' peaked at #3, 'What Is Love?' at #2, 'Hide and Seek' at #12, and 'Pearl in the Shell' at #7. As well as achieving great success in the UK (# 1), Human's Lib and the various singles taken from it also enjoyed tremendous success internationally in such countries as USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and throughout most of Europe.

"Human's Lib is an unintentionally revealing title for Howard Jones' debut album. What first seems like a play on words reveals itself as something of an empowering manifesto, a shift that mirrors his music. Upon first glance, Human's Lib appears to be state-of-the-art synth pop circa 1984: a record where every element outside of the human voices appears to be electronic. While that may well be true, Jones isn't a futurist the way such peers as Depeche Mode or Eurythmics are. At his core, Jones is a reconstituted free spirit, preaching the power of positive thinking and advocating universal love. His dedication to synthesizers does camouflage Jones' innate hippie, which gives the album an appealing dichotomy: underneath his electronics and stylish haircut, he's singing about subjects better suited to acoustic guitars and tie-dyed T-shirts. Still, Human's Lib benefits from Jones' complete immersion in synths, giving the album a glimmering sheen that remains emblematic of the dawn of MTV. In particular, "New Song" is quintessential post-New Wave synth pop, all percolating blips and analog washes held together by a massive melodic hook. Throughout Human's Lib, Jones usually relies on texture, a move that makes the album an ingratiating artifact, but there are moments where his songcraft surfaces. Usually those are on singles, such as "Pearl in the Shell," which flattens a Tamla/Motown beat for the music video era. But it's the searching "What Is Love?" -- the album's biggest hit everywhere outside of the U.S. -- that points the way toward Jones future: it's a big, soaring ballad that hints at the adult contemporary he'd later embrace." (Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG)

Howard Jones

Digitally remastered

John Howard Jones
was born in Southampton, England, on the 23rd of February 1955 to Welsh parents, John and Thelma Jones. He has 3 brothers, Roy, Martin and Paul, with Howard being the oldest. Howard learned to play the piano at the age of seven. His fathers' career took the family overseas to Canada, and Howard made an appearance on Canadian TV singing Welsh songs.

Howard attended several schools in England including Leicester, and Rugby, Cardiff in Wales and of course High Wycombe. He went to the Royal Grammar School where he got ten "O" and two "A" levels. (Howard said, "They served me no purpose whatsoever") And despite his music teacher advising him not to take music "A" level he formed his first band called Warrior. Warrior drew its musical influences from bands like Genesis, and Emerson Lake and Palmer. Howard describes the music as being Electro Classical Rock!

Howard enrolled in the Royal Northern College of Music, in Manchester in 1974, where he studied classical piano. Whilst he was there he earned extra money doing the night shift on Piccadilly Radio. Every 20 minutes between Midnight and 6am he would play a selection of his own music, on a synthesizer. The sessions were supposed to be purely instrumental, but on occasions Howard could not resist singing, and as a result had several phone calls... to complain!

Howard used to give piano lessons. It is there he met Jan Smith, who he later married. It was whilst they was selling fruit and veg off the back of a van that a runaway vehicle crashed into the van, injuring Jan. She wasn't hurt badly, but Howard persuaded her to claim compensation. She used the money to buy Howard a synthesizer. The Shop delivered two by mistake and Howard liked the combination of the two so much, that he paid for the extra one. The shop knows him as "Honest Howard"!

Howard began performing as a solo artist, in the clubs and pubs in High Wycombe. It was at one of these shows that Howard noticed Jed Hoile dancing and performing mime to his songs. This was the start of a very impressive visual partnership that continued to 1987.

Howard continues to be an active musician, producer and performer and records in his own studio, and lives in Somerset, England.

Electronic music pioneer Howard Jones has been a constant presence on the international touring scene for the past four decades, playing live in a number of different configurations including intimate solo shows and dates with his full high-tech band set-up. He first burst upon the contemporary music scene in 1983, with his very English songwriting and pioneering synthesizers with 'New Song'. His first two albums HUMAN'S LIB and DREAM INTO ACTION were worldwide hits. HUMAN'S LIB reached #1 in 1984 in the UK and featured the hits 'New Song,' and 'What Is Love?' In 1985, Jones released the follow-up, DREAM INTO ACTION, which quickly became a Top Ten Platinum album in the United States and featured the smashes: 'Things Can Only Get Better,' 'Life In One Day,' 'No One Is To Blame,' and 'Like To Get To Know You Well.'

Howard Jones has sold upwards of 10 million albums worldwide and continues to make new music and tour the world. Jones has performed on NBC's top-rated morning and nighttime shows respectively, Today and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. His ubiquitous hits can be heard in such high-profile television series and films such as 'Stranger Things,' 'Breaking Bad,' 'Watchmen,' 'The Carrie Diaries', 'Superstore' and 'Bumblebee'. Howard Jones' most recent album is DIALOGUE, which was released in September 2022. DIALOGUE is the third album in a trilogy of electronic releases from Jones with multi-media project ENGAGE released in 2015 and studio album TRANSFORM, released in 2019. DIALOGUE garnered serious coverage in outlets such as Spin, Stereogum and more.

This album contains no booklet.