“He was a brilliant concert-level classical pianist and also the best rocker you could get, for keyboards. So he was an absolute hero”: Howard Jones on the synth legend who inspired him, and the influence he had on one of his biggest hits

Howard Jones, performing at The City Hall in Newcastle, during the 2nd night of his British tour. Picture taken 21st March 1984.

He might be best known as a synth-pop artist, but Howard Jones was originally on a path to becoming a classical pianist.

At the insistence of his mother, Jones took lessons as a child, but in a new interview with Rock & Roll High School, he says that she also had a love of pop music. And, as he was looking for someone to inspire him, he found one artist in particular who was able to bring these two worlds together to create something truly spectacular.