Paul Weller - An Introduction

Paul Weller has epitomised different aspects of pop culture over the years. To anyone with an eye for the Mod cloth, he has been a fashion icon. To thirty-something fans of The Jam, he fronted the most exciting and vital band since the 1960s (or ever, for that matter). Paul Weller has earned the nickname of the Modfather, a term which reflects his near - lifetime passion for the Sixties cult which has infused aspects of his image and his music.

The Jam were Mod, in the very English sense of mid - Sixties, The Who or The Kinks. The Style Council were Mod in the very cosmopolitan sense of modern jazz. Paul Weller solo is Mod in the sense of a post - Acid Jazz groove and a late Sixties Small Faces vibe. He has come to symbolise a very British style of rock which transcends age and easy classification. Paul Weller’s thirty year career presents an unusual scenario. By his own admission, he continues to emulate his musical heroes, a mixture of Sixties (Mod) icons - Steve Marriott, Pete Townsend, Ray Davis, and soul legends Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield.

Paul Weller - The Jam

Paul Weller made his name with The Jam - and like many rock stars, he spent years shaking off the legacy of his band’s runaway success. Paul Weller now plays solo, but I still hanker back to the days of The Jam...

What it meant to me as a teenage Mod was more than just music, it was an attitude to life. The first time I saw The Jam live was at the Glasgow Apollo, 1982 when I was 15. The opening number that night was ‘Pretty Green’... From the frantic pounding of Buckler’s drums to Foxton’s soaring bass, all topped with Weller’s electric strumming... the effect was awesome!

Paul Weller - The Ultimate Bootleg Collection

The Jam live were different to the records - spontaneous and exciting! But to capture the atmosphere on record was near impossible for obvious reasons. As a young Mod growing up, you longed to get one over the other Mods. Having the coolest shoes in town or the best shirt around, or to get hold of a live bootleg Jam gig - now that’s what mattered!

For over 20 years now I have always chased the elusive Jam bootleg and Paul Weller bootleg - some really great, others very poor, so I give you a Mods guide to the ultimate Paul Weller collection.

Billy McLellan