![]() Joe followed that a few months later with I’m The Man where he decided to dress as a wide boy/black market spiv for the cover. His live shows were rapturously received thanks to a repertoire featuring instant gems like ‘Sunday Papers’ and ‘Happy Loving Couples’. Produced in London and New York with David Kershenbaum helming the sessions the disc established Jackson as a cornerstone artist with flair, taste and great songs to boot. The resulting album Look Sharp! depicting Joe sporting a nifty pair of white shoes, marked him out as a maverick even by the post-punk standards of the day. ![]() His clever, word driven rhythms – the lyrics perfectly matched to changes of tone and tempo, drew comparisons to Elvis Costello but if he was a part of the mainstream new wave Jackson was less inclined to throw second-hand punkish barbs and far more interested in pushing his own boundaries. Joe’s breakthrough came when he was signed in 1978 and given free rein. Rather than pursue a classical career he opted for his first love, pop and rock – early bands included Edward Bear and Arms & Legs. There is plenty to involve the listener.Īfter studying violin and piano at home in working-class Portsmouth (though he was born in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire) young Joe Jackson played in the local clubs before winning a scholarship to attend the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London where he studied composition. ![]() Given that his songs have charted across four decades it’s not surprising that his body of work is large and includes many comprehensive Best Ofs for beginners and completists alike, although we reckon that enjoying his albums in chronological order is a smart move.
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