Paul Weller has been at the forefront of British music since the Jam’s stunning arrival back in the late ‘70s, and it’s pretty hard to accuse him of ever taking a backwards step. With the Style Council he injected political focus into soul revival, while his solo career took root during Britpop and is still bearing fruit.
This summer he’ll return to the stage as part of the Forest Live series - playing five shows in scenic locations across England - and we’ve taken a quick look back at some of the many highs in his career in the latest edition of ‘Evolution’.
The Jam - In The City
The Jam’s opening statement is every bit as exciting now as it was back in 1977. From the ragged chug of the opening guitar line to Weller’s passionate extolling of youth and progress, In The City remains one of the quintessential songs to emerge from the broader punk movement.
The Jam - Going Underground
The Jam’s first #1 single, Going Underground arrived packaged as a double a-side with Dreams Of Children and blendedWeller’s criticism of government spending on arms with Bruce Foxton’s lively bass and a chorus melody that ensured it carried the musical clout to send serious subject matter to the summit of the charts.
The Style Council - Walls Come Tumbling Down
Following the Jam’s shock split in 1982, Weller was determined to step away from the ‘rigidity’ of the band and took up with keyboard player Mick Talbot. The Style Council was a collective rather than a group, one that married socialist politics with soul, funk and jazz. Walls Come Tumbling Down hit #6 in the UK charts in 1985, following up Soul Deep - a record in support of the striking miners and the family of David Wilkie - and paving the way for the ‘Our Favourite Shop’ album.
Paul Weller - Wild Wood
After a self-described ‘lost’ period in the wake of the Style Council's split, Weller returned to prominence with ‘Wild Wood’, an album that shot him to the upper echelons of the chart and also chimed with the outbreak of Britpop. Bands such as Blur, Ocean Colour Scene and Oasis took cues from his work and openly acknowledged his enduring influence on their own.
Paul Weller - Wake Up The Nation
‘Wake Up The Nation’ is perhaps the musical high point of Weller’s later career, a kaleidoscopic reading of his influences, from Northern Soul to great slabs of Who-styled rock. Along with My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields and ELO drummer BevBevan, the record features Foxton on a couple of its tracks, marking the first time the duo had collaborated in just under 30 years.
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