Dan Jones
Vocals
The elder of the Jones brothers, Dan was born in London on 13th June 1981. Dan did not become fully immersed in the world of music until he started at St. Bonaventure's Secondary School in Forest Gate, London, in 1992. Dan was brought up listening to classic rock that not only forms the backbone of the direct influences of Core Project, but continue to influence and inspire Dan even today. Dan was particularly inspired by the music of Queen, David Bowie, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, and many of these influences still resound today.
Dan first took up music in the form of the tenor horn, which instilled in him a sense of musical theory as well as performance. It was at St. Bonaventure's, where Dan met long-time friends and erstwhile bandmates Ryan Barquilla (Spiral Compass, Revelation) and Rob Lewin, that he began to mix and match musical influences, and became aware of other music and musicians such as Sting, The Police, The Beatles, Toto and Bon Jovi. Surrounded by guitarists, Dan decided to take up the bass guitar and learn some basic keyboard to fill a gap and be a bit different. It was with Ryan and Rob, amongst others, that Dan helped form unnamed school band that performed at public functions and school events; it was while playing with this band that an untrained Dan first decided to sing and front the band because "I didn't mind making a prat of myself in front of everyone."
What started as schoolboyish fun became became only slightly more serious when Dan formed Duckstar with Rob Lewin. Duckstar was an outfit that would write pastiches and parodies of their friends, usually to the tune of popular songs and theme tunes. Duckstar became the unlikely vehicle for Dan and his peers to hone songwriting skills as well as become familiar with basic recording and performeance techniques. Despite Duckstar being existent for 6 years between 1996 and 2002 (Darryl played with Duckstar from 1998 to 2002), and recording over 60 tracks, including collaborations with many friends and fellow local musicians, the band did not play a single gig. It was during this time that Dan became influenced by an array of artists and a wide range of musical genres, from the power grooves of Pantera to the uncompromosing brutality of Strapping Young Lad through the funk of Jamiroquai and Prince, and the all-out madness of Frank Zappa.
Dan's university career caused a hiatus period of a couple of years to interrupt his musical career, before returning to London one summer to be invited in 2004 to front un unnamed covers band by old friend Ryan Barquilla. Despite the job initially only being a temporary position until Ryan could replace original singer Tom, Dan took up the position, and completed the lineup alongside guitarist Barquilla, drummer The Ferlanger (Jack Viper) and bassist Paul Carr (Skankt), and after a couple of gigs the position was made permanent. It was at this point Dan decided to take up keyboards more seriously, and began to take note of musicians such as Jordan Rudess and Per Wibery from a keyboardists' point of view, and Bruce Dickinson, Freddie Mercury, Geoff Tate, and particularly Stephen Tyler and Glenn Hughes from a singer's point of view. The covers band became known as Tom Likes Dogs, and became one of the hottest covers acts in east London, adding extended medleys, original twists and humourous elements to their shows of already accomplished musicianship.
As Dan became more involved in Tom Likes Dogs, he was invited to join another new project with old friend Rob Lewin. Dan agreed, completing the lineup of guitarist Lewin, drummer Mike Soall and bassist Neurie. This band became known as The Purple Onion, a quirky covers/originals act, typified by off-the-wall songs and shows that frequently resulted in audience collaboration, instrument swapping finales, the proposition of women and general tomfoolery that contrasted with the more refined musical characteristics of Tom Likes Dogs.
In the background to all of this, Dan had already pledged his future with Core Project, and knew that at some point his tenure with both Tom Likes Dogs and The Purple Onion would be brought to an end. It was in early 2007 that Dan ended his involvement with Tom Likes Dogs, but has helped out his old friend Ryan by deputising on keyboards for Barquilla's new act, Spiral Compass, at The Newham Festival 2007.
Dan's Gear
Mics:
AKG WMS200
AKG DMS880
Keys:
Kurzweil PC2X
Other:
TC Helicon Voicelive
Planet Waves Cables
Yamaha Toggle Pedals
Behringer FX console
