The Verve
Most of the rhythm aspects of the Verve's albums, particularly the renowned track "Bitter Sweet Symphony" were based around the complex songwriting of the band, supported by the solid rhythm tracks created by Jones, often in the studio on a metallic Red Aria Pro II RBS bass, ultimately played live on his Fender Jazz bass guitar. The Aria has always played a significant part in the creation of The Verve's songs. Some of his most distinctive and effective bass lines can be heard at the beginning of songs like A Storm in Heaven's "Slide Away" and A Northern Soul's "Life's An Ocean".
Away from the musical side of The Verve, Jones is the only other band member other than the band's main mouthpiece, lead singer Richard Ashcroft, who tends to speak publicly and in interviews. Most notably, he, along with Ashcroft, made a speech at the 2007 Q Awards as they won a classic album award for their 1997 album Urban Hymns. He thanked the band member's wives and children and also thanked former Verve guitarist Simon Tong, who was not included in the newly reformed Verve line up. He also did an interview on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show after the band's 2007 reformation, and he also appeared alone and alongside Ashcroft in a handful of Verve documentaries and other miscellaneous interviews throughout the 1990s.
When The Verve split in 1999 due to in-band tensions, many believed they were down to tensions between singer Richard Ashcroft and lead guitarist Nick McCabe. While this is true, there were in fact problems, described as 'serious' by Ashcroft in later interviews, between Ashcroft and Jones also.
In June 2007, he rejoined The Verve in their reunion but by 2009 they had disbanded again. It has been stated that he is no longer speaking to Ashcroft as he believes Ashcroft reformed the band solely to reboost his solo career.
Read more about this topic: Simon Jones (musician)