Steve Jones (musician)

Steve Jones, circa 1996

Stephen Phillip Jones (born September 3, 1955) is an English rock and roll guitarist and singer, best known for his work as guitarist for the punk band Sex Pistols.

Career

Jones was born in London, England, and grew up in the Shepherd's Bush neighbourhood, as did the other members of the band. He admitted he took his style of guitar-playing from Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls. He was an only child and his father, Don Jarvis an amateur boxer, left when he was just two years old.

Up to the age of twelve he grew up in Hammersmith with his young mother, who worked as a hairdresser, and his grandparents. He then moved to Benbow road in Shepherds Bush with his mother and stepfather where they lived in a one bedroomed basement. Jones never got on with his stepfather, who made his living making gaskets for electric cookers, "he was an asshole, I was just extra baggage". Problems began to occur from a young age and in 1972 he was the subject of a council care-order. As a teenager Jones was frequently in trouble with the police. He was a kleptomaniac and was arrested for a range of crimes including car theft, shop lifting and burglary. In the documentary 'The Filth and the Fury' Jones said he grew up watching his parents steal from shops and during his teens he racked up 14 criminal convictions. He spent a year in a remand centre - which he says was more enjoyable than being at home - and admits that the Sex Pistols saved him from a life of crime or even prison.

After the Sex Pistols broke up, Jones and drummer Paul Cook started the hard rock outfit The Professionals. They recorded two albums but disbanded after a serious car accident while on tour in the US in 1981. Jones also played with Thin Lizzy, Joan Jett, Iggy Pop, Andy Taylor, the Neurotic Outsiders and had a solo career in the 1980s and early 1990s. His song "Mercy" was memorably used in a Miami Vice episode called "Stone's War" and was featured on the Miami Vice II soundtrack album. He participated in the Sex Pistols reunions and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

He has since done some studio work, playing guitar on the Insane Clown Posse's 1997 rap-metal record, The Great Milenko.

Jonesy's Jukebox

In February 2004, Jones began hosting a daily radio program in Los Angeles called Jonesy's Jukebox, on Indie 103.1 FM, broadcasting live Monday through Friday from Noon to 2PM Pacific Time. The premise of the show is that the self-described "Sire of Wilshire" can do whatever he wants (within FCC rules), with no program direction from station management. Far from an angry punk with access to a transmitter, Jones is a witty, intelligent, and entertaining host who mixes an eclectic playlist (culled from his own collection of CDs) with often (intentional) rambling and humorous interviews of guests from all walks of the entertainment industry. He frequently interacts on-air with "Mister Shovel," his nickname for program producer Mark Sovel.

Partial filmography

The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980)
Punk and Its Aftershocks (1980)
D.O.A. (1980)
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains (1981)
Mascara (1999)
Four Dogs Playing Poker (2000)
The Filth and the Fury (2000)
25 Years of Punk (2001)
Classic Albums: Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (2002)
Hooligans & Thugs: Soccer's Most Violent Fan Fights (2003)
Punk: Attitude (2005)

External links

*Indie 103.1 Website
*Steve Jones bio
*Interview
*Break Down the Doors - Cook'n'Jones Website
*Jonesy write-up in Blackbook magazine
*Steve Jones Website at My Space