Jonathan Noyce

Jonathan Mark Thomas Noyce (born 15 July 1971)^[1] is an English musician. He is a bass guitarist primarily known as a member of British rock group Jethro Tull, with whom he toured and recorded as a member from 1995 until 2007.^[2][3] Noyce is also widely known for his long association with renowned guitarist Gary Moore.

Life

Jonathan Noyce was born in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire. His father, Peter, was Choirmaster and Assistant Organist at Lichfield Cathedral, and Jane, his mother, has been a town planner.^[4] Jonathan grew up within the sounds of choirs, organs and the orchestral music on small record collection of his parents.^[5][6] First he tried many different instruments before he did chose the bass. He is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Career

Early career

Noyce enjoyed his first success with the British pop group Take That, for whom he supplied bass in the studio in 1993. During this period Noyce worked closely with producer Joey Negro aka Dave Lee.

In 1995, Noyce met and was asked to play on Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre's solo album The Meeting.^[7] This became a stepping stone to meeting Tull frontman Ian Anderson, who subsequently asked Jonathan to join him on his Divinities world tour later that year. A few months later Dave Pegg announced his retirement from Jethro Tull. Noyce was a natural first choice and joined the band in August 1995.^[8][9] During his eleven-year stint with the band, he travelled the globe, recorded a (few) studio albums plus a few more live ones.

In his own words he plays stealth bass: "you can't hear it, but you feel it."^[10]

Outside of Jethro Tull, Noyce had a long establishment with guitarist Gary Moore,^[11] playing with him on his Old New Ballads Blues CD, the DVD recording of the concert to commemorate the life of Phil Lynott, One Night in Dublin, which featured members of Thin Lizzy, and the release of Gary's final recorded show Live at Montreux 2010.

2006 saw Noyce join The Divine Comedy for some European dates and one off television appearances.

Since 2007 Noyce has been a member of the UK band Archive.^[12][13]

Rick Wakeman called upon Noyce for his concerts at Hampton Court Palace in 2009. These shows were also recorded and filmed. The Six Wives of Henry VIII Live at Hampton Court Palace.

2010 saw Noyce re-uniting with Gary Moore for his Summer of Rock shows throughout Europe. This band also included drummer and friend Darrin Mooney and, following a 21-year hiatus, keyboard and guitar player Neil Carter, Moore's right-hand man during his rise to international success in the 1980s. This Celtic-Rock project came to an end with the sudden death of Moore on 6 February 2011.^[14] The band had been in rehearsals just prior to his death in preparation for the commencement of recording sessions for a new album later in February that year.

Later Career

2010 saw Noyce having one of his greatest commercial successes with the release of French-Canadian superstar Mylène Farmer's album Bleu Noir, for which Noyce supplied all the bass guitar tracks. Noyce filled in on bass for Love Amongst Ruin's debut gig at Eurosonic Festival in January 2010.

2012^[15] has seen Noyce joining his old Jethro Tull bandmate Martin Barre for live shows across Europe.

In 2013 Noyce played on Martin Barre's solo album Away With Words.^[16] This year also saw Noyce joining Sixto Rodriguez for a run of shows that included the Montreux Jazz Festival and Glastonbury Festival. In December Noyce joined Pentangle for a concert to celebrate the life of Bert Jansch. This was broadcast on BBC television.

2014 saw Noyce joining Gentle Giant offshoot band Three Friends, featuring former members Gary Green and Malcolm Mortimore. Other work includes playing on the soundtracks to the films I Am Ali^[17] and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (film), the later with Daniel Pemberton. Archive released a film, Axiom, and returned to Montreux Jazz Festival to perform the soundtrack live. The same year Noyce also did the producing for artist Mike Marlin's as yet untitled upcoming album.

2015 Archive's new album Restriction features Noyce on bass guitars and Mini Moog. They are on tour now.

Influences

• J.S. Bach, The Beatles, Miles Davis, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

• Silence, Chemistry, Sonar^[18]

Instruments

Mr. Noyce's main instruments are an original 1960 Fender Precision Bass guitar (which has an identical twin, made by Fender Masterbuilt craftsman Ian Waller), Yamaha basses (BB1100s, fretless, BB3000 & BB2025X), Wal basses (custom 4, 4 fretless and 5 string), Fender Musicmaster, a 1964 Fender Jazz bass, an Epiphone Rivoli bass, a Guild Acoustic (Guild Guitar Company), a Zeta Crossover UEB and a Hoefner bass.^[19]

Mr. Noyce has two pedalboards made by Custom Pedal Chain System. They are almost identical, featuring Tech 21 Sansamp Classic, Zvex Woolly Mammoth, Boss OC2, Ibanez CS505, Lehle 3@1 switching and cables by Custom Pedal Chain System.

Noyce has used SWR amplification SWR Sound Corporation for over twenty years and his current main live rig uses a SM900 amp and Henry the 8x8 cabinet. In the studio Noyce uses an SWR Redhead combo, SWR Mo'Bass, Fender Bassman, Ampeg Portaflex and Wallace Amplifier. Di boxes are Radial. Noyce strings all his guitars with D'Addario strings.

In addition Noyce plays keyboards, primarily Mini Moog.^[20][21]

References

External links

• Jonathan Noyce's page at Myspace
• Jonathan Noyce's page at Facebook
• Jethro Tull official website
• Archive official website
• Gary Moore's official website