Jon Moss

Jonathan Aubrey Moss (born 11 September 1957) is an English drummer, best known as a member of the 1980s new wave group Culture Club. He has also played with other bands, including London, the Nips, the Damned and Adam and the Ants.

Early life

Moss was born in Clapham Jewish Boys Home at Wandsworth, South London, and was adopted when six months old by Rosetta (née Goldsmith, b. 1929) and Lionel Moss (b. 1927, d. 1999), a couple of Jewish ancestry. His father owned a clothing store called ''Alkit'', located at Cambridge Circus. He grew up in Hampstead, attending Arnold House School (1962–1970) and Highgate School (1970–1975).

During Moss' childhood, music began to have an important role in his life, and he would play well-known songs on his family's piano. His elder brother, David, was drummer in a school band and had a Wayward drum kit, which Jon borrowed to start playing when 13 years old.
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At Highgate School, Moss developed a fascination for sports, especially boxing, but he did not want a professional sporting career. It was also at Highgate that he formed his first band, Pig Williams, along with his friend Nick Feldman (who would later become a member and co-founder of Wang Chung). Together they performed at several school events. After finishing high school, Jon held various jobs, including working at his father's clothing store, as a cake salesman and as a sound engineer at Marquee Studios. In spite of regarding a college education as a waste of time, he briefly considered the idea of studying Greek at the University of Cambridge.

Musical career

Beginning (1976–1980)

Alongside his friend Riff Regan, Moss joined the punk band London in 1976,Rimmer, Dave (1985) "Like Punk Never Happened," Faber and Faber, , p. 40-42Kasper de Graaf & Malcolm Garrett (1983) "When Cameras Go Crazy – Culture Club," Virgin Books, , p. 62 after being tried out as a drummer with the Clash; later, he said "The mix of personalities didn't work. Their attitudes were too different to mine." London released a single entitled "Everyone's a Winner", and were managed by Simon Napier-Bell. Eventually they recorded two singles, a four-track EP and an album for MCA Records in 1977.Napier-Bell, Simon (2001) "Black Vinyl White Powder," Ebury Press, , p. 163 Following this, Moss went on tour with established punk group the Stranglers, and the band got a record deal.

Soon afterward, Moss began drumming with the Damned, replacing Rat Scabies. He made the decision to join them after he was injured in a car crash on New Year's Eve 1977, suffering injuries that led to a week's hospital stay. Along with the Damned's guitarist, Lu Edmonds, he left the Damned to form new wave band the Edge. After just over a year, the Edge broke up.

Moss played with Adam and the Ants on their third single "Cartrouble" and its b-side "Kick!". At the time, Moss was under contract with a group called Jane Aire & the Belvederes; therefore, he was credited on the original single under the pseudonym "Terry 1 & 2".

Culture Club – early times (1981–1986)

Moss was advised by a friend that Boy George was looking for a drummer for his band. When he became a member of the band—which was originally called in Praise of Lemmings—he suggested changing the name of the group to Culture Club.

In 1985, whilst still performing with Culture Club, he produced some tracks for the band Woyeyeh.

Other works and Culture Club reunion (1987–2002)

After Culture Club broke up in 1986, Moss released a single entitled "Jump to It" with the group Heartbeat UK.

In 1989, under the name Rubberman, Moss released one white label of an acid house instrumental track. Boy George used that backing track to create his own song "After the Love".

During 1991 and 1992, Moss was involved in another group, Promised Land, with his schoolfriend Nick Feldman. The two released two singles, "Something in the Air" and "Circle in the Square".

In 1995 he met Sebastian Wocker, vocalist of the indie band Yeah, and soon joined them. For two years the group played several concerts on the London circuit, made various television appearances and filmed one video, “Engerland”, in 1997, at the former home of Hendon F.C.

Charities, B-side projects (2003–2010)

From 2003 to 2005 Moss joined several punk rock and rock bands, among them Fassbender, DanMingo and Dirth. In July 2005 he played drums on the charity single "People I Don't Know Are Trying to Kill Me", written by the journalist Neil McCormick, to help the families of the victims of the 7 July 2005 London bombings.

In 2006 Moss, Mikey Craig and Phil Pickett tried to launch Culture Club on a new tour with another lead singer, as George and Roy Hay had declined to tour. A UK tour was announced for December 2006, but was postponed to give the new line-up time to finish recording their album. Without official press statements, band manager Tony Gordon said in 2007 that the project was "on hold", while Jon stated that the project was shelved.

Culture Club – reunion (2011–2021)

Moss did not appear at Culture Club's concerts in Dubai and Sydney in December 2011, due to a back injury which required surgery. Despite rumours that the reunion project had been shelved, Boy George said in a March 2012 interview with Danny Baker on BBC Radio 5 that their new album would be released in 2013.

Meanwhile, Moss had been drumming with Mad Dog Bites, alongside Martin French (vocals), Godfrey Old (harmonica), Peter Noone (bass) and Conrad Blakemore (guitar).

In the Red Nose Day '13 at Whiteleys, Moss sang with the Rock Choir, helping them to fundraise for Comic Relief.

In 2014, Culture Club began recording a new album that was originally named ''Tribes''. The ''Tribes'' sessions were recorded in Spain and documented in the film ''From Karma to Calamity'' which aired on BBC Four. In July 2018, it was announced that the sessions had been reworked as ''Life'' and that the album was to be released on 26 October 2018 and credited to "Boy George and Culture Club".

In early 2018 Moss formed pop band Ridiculous together with singer-songwriter Sebastian Wocker, The Cross bassist Peter Noone and film score composer Erran Baron Cohen. The band's debut performance took place at The Dublin Castle, Camden, London.

Culture Club toured the US and Europe from June to December 2018 in support of their ''Life'' album, along with supporting acts the B-52s, Tom Bailey (formerly of the Thompson Twins) and Belinda Carlisle (Europe dates only). Moss was originally part of the line-up.

In December 2019, Moss filed a writ at London's High Court naming the band trio as defendants. Moss' lawyers say he was told to “take a break” by manager Paul Kemsley; Moss demanded nearly £200,000 in missing payments and a share of profits.

Moss officially left Culture Club in May 2021.

Personal life

Moss has three children with his former wife, Barbara Savage.

Moss had an intimate relationship with Boy George during the height of Culture Club's popularity, although it was not public knowledge at the time. Their affair came to an end in 1986. The relationship was portrayed in ''Worried About the Boy'', a drama film shown on BBC2.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Moss, Jon
1957 births
Living people
People educated at Arnold House School
People educated at Highgate School
English adoptees
LGBT musicians from England
English Jews
LGBT Jews
People from Wandsworth
English new wave musicians
English punk rock drummers
English rock drummers
New wave drummers
Bisexual men
Bisexual musicians
The Damned (band) members
Culture Club members
Jews in punk rock
The Nipple Erectors members
Grammy Award winners