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The beginners guide
The Ulimate Guide to Jools
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The beginners guide
The Ulimate Guide to Jools
Julian Miles Holland was born on 24th January, 1958 in South London. It soon became obvious this kid was something special when his Uncle David gave him piano lessons in his Gran's front room and Jools took to it like a duck to water.
Years passed and at the tender but hormonal age of 15 Jools decided to find a bit of fame and have some fun along the way. His first taste of fame began with a keyboard contribution to a single by a New York punky foul mouthed transexual called Wayne County called "If you don't want to f**k me f**k off"
He then met up with some fellow Londoners and formed a rather nice little band called Squeeze. Here Jools experienced (allegedly!) sex, drugs and Rock 'n' Roll. Jools then left Squeeze and to cut a long story short he formed the Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra (Hooray) which consists of 17 amazingly talented individuals. The Orchestra do it all from good old boogie woogie jump around tracks like " I'm in a dancing mood " to calm and reflective tracks like "Etude No.53"
The orchestra are now playing over eighty gigs a year at concert halls, festivals and even G8 summits where they met up with ye old Bill Clinton!! When Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra are on stage it is easy to see that music is simply running through thier veins and it is where Jools is at home. Every member of the orchestra is a complete expert who deserves a great deal of respect. When watching these people you feel very humbled.
Jools has other talents up his sleeve as well as marvelous piano playing. Much of his music was recorded in the Helicon Mountain Studio which he built and designed in the style of a vintage railway station near where he grew up in South London. Between all these shows, making houses and many albums, Jools also has the time to slot in a TV show or two along the way. This side line started up when he made a documentary on The Police in the early 80's. He presented a music show called The Tube (If any TV execuctives are reading this please could you repeat The Tube becuase as I missed it the first time round cos I'm only a youngster, cheers). Jools has also presented "Juke Box Jury", "The Happening", "Name That Tune" and "The Glastonbury Festival". He has starred in "Walking to New Orleans", "Mister Roadrunner", "The Groovy Fellers" and "Rebellious Jukebox". He has co-presented "Sunday Night" and "Don't Forget Your Toothbrush". He has also hosted the Country Music Awards.
"Later...with Jools Holland" deserves a paragraph of it's own because it is brillant. Later was launched in 1992 and I can say hand on heart it is the best music show I have ever seen. It is nice to see a presenter who really does respect musicians for their music and not the amount of veiwers they will draw in. Later is a light that shines out in this dark and depressing world. (any BBC people with access to Later tickets I'll give you my left arm for one - I think I've sucked up enough now!)
Jools has also interviewed the survivng Beatles for the award winning "The Beatles Anthology". (If anyone has this on video please e-mail me cos I would like to see it) Now you think after all this work Jools would be about knackered but somehow he finds the time to perform DJing duties on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 3 and BBC World Service and Jazz Fm. If this wasn't enough he has also turned into a film star staring as cameo in "Hunting Venus" (which was an excellent film starring Martin Clunes) and "Spiceworld the Movie"
I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible for anyone to be so damm good at everything he does and fit it all in so I have decided there are infact 3 Jools Hollands running around doing all these things, but don't tell anyone cos it is a secret, ok?
By Jo (using info from the Guide I picked up at a Jools concert - miz help I can't remember what it is called!!!!)