Joe Jackson

Joe Jackson is a singer, songwriter, composer, and performer who has twisted and turned his career through numerous genres and continues to release excellent albums forty years after his initial breakthrough success.


For some he’s the angsty young man, forever hitched to two hit singles; ‘Is She Really Going Out with Him?’, and ‘It’s Different for Girls’. Other memories may extend further to include the smooth pop gems of ‘Steppin’ Out’ and ‘Breaking Us in Two’ from the early 1980s. By the 1990s he had apparently faded from the spotlight.


Stardom has never seemed to be Jackson’s central ambition; he’s been happier to follow his muse. There is more, so much more to this gifted musician, and this book covers every facet of a brilliant, unpredictable, and fearsomely independent recording career. From new wave successes, via unexpected covers albums, film soundtracks, and impressive conceptual works, to classical compositions, his recorded output is interspersed with a catalogue of great songs always written with intelligence and verve. Jackson is a constant musical explorer.


For those who have stayed the course, this book charts his every port of call so far; if you are unfamiliar but want to know more, jump onboard. You won’t regret it.

Richard James immersed himself in music as soon as he got his first real six-string at the age of ten. Previously chained to a desk for a living, he broke free, armed with a music degree from the Open University and a Licentiate Diploma in Classical Guitar from the Royal School of Music, and proceeded to roam the East Midlands as a freelance guitarist and music teacher. He lives with his wife in Leicestershire, UK, and when not involved with music, he enjoys foreign travel and playing chess badly.