Grace Jones

I've been a big fan of Grace Jones from the first time I heard her disco cover version of Edith Piaf’s “La Vie En Rose”.  Her striking appearance, her unique look, her signature stylised vocals and her music are all reasons that to this day she remains my all-time favourite recording artist.

Grace Jones was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica in 1948. Her father who was a clergyman moved the family to Syracuse, New York in 1965 where she studied theatre. Grace later went on to become a successful fashion model in New York and Paris and often 'Graced' the covers of Vogue & Elle magazines.

Grace started her recording career in 1975 with the disco hit "I Need a Man". In 1977 she signed with Island Records where she recorded three albums "Portfolio", "Fame" and "Muse" with the legendary disco record producer Tom Moulton. These albums included the club hits, "La Vie en Rose", "Do or Die" and "On Your Knees".

Grace's first three album covers were designed by Richard Bernstein, an artist working for Interview, a magazine founded by Andy Warhol.

In the early 1980's Grace adapted the new electronic new-wave music style and began to work with producer Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin along with the Compass Point All Stars which included Jamaican rhythm section Sly & Robbie. In 1980 she released the critically acclaimed album "Warm Leatherette" which included numerous cover version hit singles "Private Life" (The Pretenders) "Warm Leatherette" (Normal), "Love Is the Drug" (Roxy Music) "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" (Smokey Robinson), "Breakdown" (Tom Petty) and the French reggae version of Jacques Higelin's "Pars" . As well as changing musical style, Grace emerged with a dramatic new visual look created in partnership with French photographer and illustrator Jean-Paul Goude. Goude started to work closely with Grace after meeting her in the late 70's and consulted her on her image, designed some of her album covers and stage-managed some of her live shows.

Warm Leatherette album cover designed by Jean-Paul Goude.

In 1981, Grace released her fifth studio album "Nightclubbing". This album's success was Grace's commercial breakthrough, it included hit singles "Pull Up To The Bumper", "Demolition Man" as well as cover versions of Iggy Pop & David Bowie's "Nightclubbing", Flash & The Pans "Walking in the Rain"  as well as an excellent interpretation  of Ástor Piazzolla's "I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)". Nightclubbing was voted 1981's Album of The Year by UK's New Musical Express.

Nighclubbing album cover designed by Jean-Paul Goude is one of the most memorable images of Grace Jones.

During 1981 & 1982 Grace Jones toured her famous "One Man Show" an elaborate art/pop/theatre show with the collaboration of her partner Jean-Paul Goude. One Man Show was released on video in 1982; it features some of her music videos from Warm Leatherette and Nightclubbing plus concert footage of her tour.

Jean-Paul Goude designs for Grace Jones’ One Man Show

In 1982 Grace released "Living My Life" the last of three albums she recorded at Compass Point Studios with the classic reggae sound of Sly and Robbie. The album features her club hits "Nipple to the Bottle", "My Jamaican Guy" and "The Apple Stretching".

Grace Jones album Living My Life and single My Jamaican Guy covers designed by Goude.

Grace's next release "Slave to the Rhythm" was a concept album she recorded with the collaboration of Trevor Horn and Bruce Woolley in 1985. The album featured a collage of re-workings of the title track "Slave to the Rhythm", which became one of Grace's most popular and signature song ever released.

Goude also designed Grace Jones album cover Slave To The Rhythm

The following year, in 1986 after leaving Island records, Grace released her 8th studio album "Inside Story" on Manhattan Records.  All songs for the album were written by Grace and Bruce Woolley. Grace co-produced the album with Nile Rodgers of Chic. This album featured the hit single "I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You)".

Richard Bernstein designed Grace's Inside Story album cover and single I'm Not Perfect.

Grace's 9th studio album "Bulletproof Heart" was released in 1989 on Capital Records. The album was co- produced by C & C Music Factory's Robert Clivillés and David Cole and also co-produced by Grace’s then-husband Chris Stanley. The album featured the No. 1 Hot Dance Club Hit "Love On Top Of Love (Killer Kiss)” and the single "Amado Mio".

Goude design for Grace Jones Bulletproof Heart album cover

Although Grace did not release any albums during the 90's she recorded "7 Day Weekend" (for the Eddie Murphy film 'Boomerang' in which she also stared in), "Evilmainya" (for the movie 'Freddie the Frog') and "Storm" (for the 1998 film 'The Avengers'). In 1994 she released "Sex Drive" which was recorded for an electro album that was never released. In 1998 Grace worked with trip hop artist Tricky on an album that also never got released. One of the tracks from this recording was released only as a white label 12" featuring two dance mixes of "Hurricane (Cradle to the Grave)". A slower reggae version of "Hurricane" later became the title track of Grace's next album released ten years later.

Grace's 2008 album "Hurricane" produced by Ivor Guest was released on Wall of Sound label. The Compass Point All Stars including Sly & Robbie and Wally Badarou collaborated on the album as well as Brian Eno, Bruce Woolley, Tricky and Tony Allen. The following tracks from the album were released as singles; "Corporate Cannibal", "Well Well Well" and Grace's bio track "Williams' Blood". The album was released again in 2011 as a double album entitled "Hurricane Dub" including excellent dub versions of all of the album tracks.

Until her next album, Grace Jones continues to grace us with live performances.

Grace Jones performing Slave (To The Rhythm) while twirling a Hula Hoop at The Queens Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace in London on June 4th 2012.

Happy Birthday Grace!

Love you.