Biography:
Grace Jones was one of the more unforgettable characters to emerge from New York City`s hedonistic Studio 54 disco scene during the late `70s. Born May 19, 1952, in Kingston, Jamaica, Jones studied theater at Syracuse University before launching a career as a model. Jones` statuesque and flamboyant look proved to be a hit in the New York City nightclub scene, which led to a recording contract with Island Records in 1977. While such disco-based albums as 1977`s Portfolio, 1978`s Fame, and 1979`s Muse failed to break the singer commercially, Jones soon amassed a substantial following amongst gay men with her sexually charged live show, leading to her title at the time of "Queen of the Gay Discos."
But with the dawn of the `80s came a massive anti-disco movement across the U.S., leading to Jones focusing on more new wave and experimental-based work resulting in two of her best-known and strongest releases -- 1980`s Warm Leatherette and 1981`s Nightclubbing -- both produced by the noted reggae team of Sly & Robbie (the latter release spawned one of Jones` biggest hits, "Pull Up to the Bumper," as well as covers of Iggy Pop`s "Nightclubbing" and the Police`s "Demolition Man"). It was also around this time that Jones changed her look to suit the times by replacing her S&M look of the `70s with a detached, androgynous image. Jones` sixth solo release overall, Living My Life, followed in 1982, while the singer took a break from recording to focus on film work and landed roles in such movies as Conan the Destroyer and the James Bond flick A View to a Kill (Jones` romantic life also provided tabloid fodder at the time when she was linked with Rocky IV star Dolph Lundgren).
Jones eventually returned back to her recording career, enlisting super-producer Trevor Horn (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) to oversee 1985`s Slave to the Rhythm, which turned out to be a somewhat autobiographical work (the same year, a ten-track compilation was issued as well, Island Life). Jones` penchant for working with big-name producers continued on 1986`s Inside Story; with production chores handled by Chic`s Nile Rodgers, the album spawned one of Jones` last successful singles, "I`m Not Perfect (But I`m Perfect for You)." After 1989`s Bulletproof Heart, Jones seemed to turn her back on her recording career (although 1993 saw the release of a new single, "Sex Drive"), as she again focused primarily on movies, including a role in Eddie Murphy`s hit 1992 comedy Boomerang. The double-disc set Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions (a collection of 26 tracks that Jones recorded with Sly & Robbie during their early `80s union) was released in 1998, which was followed up four years later with Island Life, Vol. 2.
