Paul Weller Fan Podcast

My latest special guest is the multi talented Sax player and Flutist Jacko Peake who shares his story of 66.

Ship of Fools - Flute & Sax

Jumble Queen - Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax

Sleepy Hollow - Flutes, Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax

Burn Out - Tenor Sax

The Story Behind Paul Weller's New Album '66': An Interview with Jack O Peake

Paul Weller is back with his 17th solo studio album, '66'. To celebrate, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jacko Peake, the talented saxophonist and flautist from the Paul Weller Band, to delve into the making of this extraordinary album.

Jacko shares his experiences and insights into the creative process behind '66'.

His involvement adds a unique dimension to the music, blending seamlessly with the other instruments and vocals.

Jacko also reflects on the evolution of the band's sound over the years. Comparing the current touring experience to the early '90s, he notes how the band has become more focused and less chaotic. "People just want to make sure the gigs are really good and everyone wants to be on the top of their game," he says. This dedication to excellence is evident in the live performances, where the energy and passion of the band members create an unforgettable experience for the audience.

Another fascinating aspect of our discussion was the process of remote recording. Jacko explains how he recorded some of his parts from home, sending them over to Paul and the production team.

We also touched on some of the standout tracks from '66', including "Burnout" and "Sleepy Hollow". Jacko describes how these songs evolved from initial ideas into fully-fledged songs. The collaborative sessions with Paul and other musicians, such as Max Beesley, resulted in a rich tapestry of sounds and textures that make '66' a truly eclectic album.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Singer-songwriter, musician & keys player for PW – Tom Van Heel shares his story of 66.

Jumble Queen - Electric Guitar / Backing Vocals

Nothing - Acoustic Guitar / Backing Vocal

Sleepy Hollow - Backing Vocal

In Full Flight - Wurlitzer, Korg MS20

Burn Out - Hammond Organ, Backing Vocals

Paul Weller's '66': Behind the Scenes with Tom Van Heel

Welcome to an exclusive look into the making of Paul Weller’s 17th solo studio album, '66'. In our latest podcast episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Tom Van Heel, keys player in the Paul Weller Band. This episode offers a deep dive into the creative process behind this remarkable album, the magic of live performances, and the camaraderie within the band.

Known for his versatility as a musician, Tom shares his experiences from the recording sessions to the world tours. One of the standout points of our conversation was the collaborative nature of '66'. Tom highlights how each song on the album is a result of a collective effort, with contributions from various talented musicians, including Noel Gallagher and Bobby Gillespie.

We start by reminiscing about the band's recent tours in Japan and Australia. Tom describes the joy of performing at iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and the unique experiences that come with touring in such diverse locations. He fondly recalls the excitement of playing in Japan, despite the snow!. The camaraderie within the band is palpable as they navigate through these experiences, making each performance memorable.

The episode also delves into the day that the band shared at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Tom shares anecdotes, describing it as a surreal experience. The presence of the orchestra and the historic ambiance of Abbey Road added a special touch to the recording sessions.

One of the highlights of the episode is the discussion about specific tracks from '66'. Tom talks about 'Jumble Queen', where he played electric guitar and provided backing vocals. He also shares insights into the creation of 'Nothing', a beautiful song featuring Paul on multiple instruments and Tom on acoustic guitar and backing vocals. These stories offer a glimpse into the meticulous yet organic process behind each track.

Tom also touches upon the dynamic within the band, emphasizing the trust and mutual respect they have for each other. This bond allows them to experiment and bring out the best in each performance, whether in the studio or on stage. The episode is filled with anecdotes that highlight the band's dedication to their craft and their passion for music.

As we wrap up the episode, Tom reflects on the inspiration he draws from working with Paul Weller. He mentions how being part of the band motivates him to continually improve his own song-writing and musicianship. This sentiment resonates with fans who admire the relentless creativity and innovation that Paul Weller brings to his music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Irish singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Josh McClorey was phe principal songwriter and lead guitarist of The Strypes where he enjoyed success with a #1 album in Ireland, #5 in the UK and extensive global tours.

The band played with and support Paul Weller on numerous occasions, and Josh has played on albums from Saturns Pattern to the latest 66.

You can hear him playing bass on Flying Fish and electric guitars on Soul Wandering.

In addition to contributing to multiple #1 albums for other artists, from YUNGBLUD to Paul Weller, Josh is the mind behind one of the hottest new bands in the UK right now, Soft Launch.

Unveiling the Magic Behind Paul Weller's "66" with Josh McClorey

With the release of his 17th solo studio album, "66", Paul Weller continues to captivate audiences with his innovative sound and collaborative spirit.

In our latest podcast episode, we had the pleasure of diving deep into the making of "66" with none other than Josh McClorey a talented musician who has been closely associated with Weller over the past decade.

Josh's journey into the world of music began at an impressively young age. Touring the world as a teenager with his band The Strypes, Josh's early exposure to the music scene laid a solid foundation for his future collaborations. Reflecting on his first encounter with Paul Weller, Josh recounts the surreal experience of supporting Weller at Abbey Road Studios. "Playing with Paul and playing in Abbey Road was crazy," he shares. This initial connection would pave the way for numerous collaborations, both in the studio and on stage.

One of the standout aspects of "66" is its rich tapestry of collaborations. From playing electric guitar on "Soul Wandering" to contributing bass on "Flying Fish," Josh's involvement showcases the dynamic interplay of talents that define the album. He describes the studio atmosphere as one of constant creativity and positivity, with Weller at the helm, ensuring that the energy remains high and the ideas keep flowing.

The episode also delves into Josh's personal musical journey, from his early days with The Strypes to his current project, Soft Launch. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Josh's passion for music remains undiminished. His new band, Soft Launch, is set to make waves with their upcoming releases and live performances. "It's the most excited I've been about anything, probably since I was a kid," Josh enthuses, highlighting the camaraderie and creative synergy within the band.

Paul Weller's mentorship has played a significant role in Josh's career. Whether offering advice on navigating the music industry or encouraging Josh to follow his gut, Weller's guidance has been invaluable. "The only thing you can do is the thing that makes you happy," Weller advised Josh during a pivotal moment in his career. This philosophy has clearly influenced Josh's approach to music, as he continues to explore new avenues and push creative boundaries.

As we wrap up our conversation, Josh reflects on the enduring impact of live music. Despite the industry's shift towards digital platforms, he emphasises the irreplaceable connection forged through live performances. "Going out and playing a show still means a lot more to kids," he asserts, underscoring the timeless appeal of the live music experience.

This is another episode that gives a fascinating glimpse into the making of "66" and the vibrant world of music collaboration.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of our huge boxset of special podcast episodes landing on Friday, I wanted to chat to journalist and author, Will Hodgkinson on his Mojo cover story with Paul Weller.

Will is Chief Rock and Pop critic for The Times and has written for The Guardian, The Independent, Vogue and Mojo magazine.

He is also the author of many fantastic books Guitar Man, Song Man, The Ballad of Britain and The House Is Full of Yogis.

He's also just announced his new book Street-Level Superstar - A Year With Lawrence which has just gone on sale for pre-orders (see link in the podcast show notes)

Paul Weller’s Latest Album ‘66’: An Exclusive Insight with Will Hodgkinson

In this episode, we delve into Will's experience interviewing Weller and some of the key insights he gathered along the way.

Paul Weller has been a significant figure in the music industry for decades. His latest album, '66', marks yet another milestone in his illustrious career. Will Hodgkinson had the opportunity to sit down with Paul at Black Barn Studio, where they discussed everything from the album's creation to Weller's thoughts on the current music scene.

One of the highlights of the interview was Paul's openness about his creative process. Will shared how Weller, traditionally known to be quite cagey, was surprisingly candid during their conversation. "Paul Weller's songwriting just doesn't stop. Whether it's just a working-class work ethic or something within him that he just can't help," Will noted. This relentless drive is evident in '66', an album that showcases Weller's continued evolution as an artist.

The interview also touched on Weller's collaborations with other artists on '66'. Notable names like Noel Gallagher and Suggs contributed to the album, adding a fresh dynamic to Weller's sound. Will shared an amusing anecdote about how quickly the song with Noel Gallagher came together, highlighting the deep respect and camaraderie between the two artists. "Whatever you think about Neil Young and Paul Weller, those guys are as real as it gets," Gallagher remarked.

In addition to discussing the album, Will and Weller also bonded over their shared love for vintage fashion. From Lee denim jackets to Henley shirts, their conversation veered into the realm of style, offering a glimpse into Weller's personal interests beyond music.

Another intriguing aspect of the interview was Weller's reflection on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown. He mentioned how the enforced break allowed him to appreciate the simple things in life, like hearing the birds sing. This period of reflection is subtly woven into the fabric of '66', making it a deeply personal and introspective album.

For those who have followed Weller's career, '66' is a testament to his enduring passion for music and his ability to adapt and evolve.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The acclaimed Paul Weller Fan Podcast is back with a bang!

In 2020, my love of Paul Weller’s music led me to create the ‘Desperately Seeking Paul’ podcast series, an adventure that culminated in an unforgettable encounter with the man himself at the end of last year.

The thrill of finally interviewing my hero, after 25 years in radio and a three-year podcast journey, is still fresh. The experience was nothing short of magical, and I am incredibly grateful for every moment of it. But as they say, the show must go on, and I am beyond excited to announce what’s coming next.

Last November, I was given the extraordinary honour of receiving an advance copy of Paul’s highly anticipated new album, “66”. And let me tell you, it’s another absolute corker. I’ve spent countless hours immersing myself in the rich tapestry of sounds and stories that make up this incredible LP.

Now, I’m thrilled to share that our journey together continues with a brand new podcast series. This time, we’re diving deep into “66”, exploring each track, the creative process behind the album, and the magic that makes Paul Weller such a remarkable artist.

Our first episode kicks off with an exclusive interview with Paul Weller himself.

Imagine, sitting down in his Black Barn studio, to discuss his latest work, track by track. It’s an opportunity I could only dream of when I started this podcast series, and now it’s a reality.

You just have to do your best and what you believe in, and then you put it out into the world and hope other people relate to it or like it. I don’t think, what did we do on the last album? or what did I do 20, 30, 40 years ago? I’m not interested in that, it’s only what I’m doing now…

PAUL WELLER

But the excitement doesn’t stop there. A week after the album is released – you’ll hear a special boxset of podcast episodes with key figures involved in the making of “66” who will offer their own unique insights, adding depth and colour to our exploration of Paul’s 17th solo studio album (and his 28th in total).

You’ll hear from band members, Jacko Peake, Tom Van Heel, Jake Fletcher and Ben Gordelier, producer/engineer Charles Rees, collaborators including Tom Doyle (White Label), Christophe Vaillant (Le SuperHomard), and Steve Brookes (original member of The Jam).

Contributors such as Josh McClorey, Steve Trigg, Sumudu Jayatilaka, Louise Marshall, Britten Sinfonia and Hannah Peel will also offer their unique perspectives on the making of the album.

It’s hard to put into words just how humbled and thrilled I am to be a part of the countdown for the release of “66”.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The acclaimed Paul Weller Fan Podcast is back with a bang!

Join us for Season 2 - The Story of 66 - starting May 17th 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 180: Paul Weller

Hello and Welcome to Episode 180 of the World's First Paul Weller Fan Podcast...

I'm Dan Jennings and ten years ago I gave up my life's dream and career as a radio presenter with one big regret...

Never getting to interview my hero... the legendary singer-songwriter and musician - Paul Weller...

This podcast exists purely to solve that issue...

Welcome to the final episode of Desperately Seeking Paul....

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 179: Claire Moon - Artist Manager - Paul Weller

Over the course of the past 3 years, we've discovered so much more about how Paul Weller has built one of the most prolific and influential careers in British music, and in this episode we get to peek behind the curtain.

Artist manager Claire Moon opens up about her professional journey, leading up to that first fateful meeting with Paul at V2 Records and how she later became his manager - overseeing the business operations at Black Barn Studios. 

With stories about running the calendar, promoting albums, planning tours with Paul and the Wheeler's, and protecting his back catalogue, Claire reveals how she strategically manages Paul Weller's enduring career.

Their deep mutual trust allows her to support his constant drive to make music on his own terms.

We get a deeper understanding of his relentless creative spirit - how he is often already busy conjuring up new projects as previous albums are still being promoted - for instance, launching a clothing line or even taking an acting role in a movie...

What also really comes through for me is that Claire makes clear her role is to support Paul's ambitions, not to control them - a trust that has allowed one of music's true innovators to continue evolving without losing his essence.

Get ready for an all-access pass into Paul Weller's world with this illuminating conversation... It's a huge honour to have Claire on the podcast to share her experiences in the music industry and at Black Barn HQ...

Music Immersive...

I also chatted to Claire about her role working with Stan Kybert at Music Immersive - the UK’s only dedicated immersive music studio. The team pride themselves on meticulously and respectfully enriching artist's music, with the focus on preserving their original vision. 

Find out more here...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 178: Charles Rees - Black Barn Studio Manager & Engineer + Composer, Producer

And so the countdown begins... with our final 3 podcasts in our Desperately Seeking Paul series...

On this episode, I take a trip into Black Barn Studios for an unforgettable conversation with Studio Manager & Engineer, Composer and Producer, Charles Rees. 

From assistant engineer on Heavy Soul in 1997 to becoming studio manager at Black Barn, AKA Paul Weller HQ in 1999 - Charles has played a key role on the sound of so many incredible Paul Weller singles, EPs and albums...

He even pops up on a heap of songs playing bass, drums, various synthesizers, harmonium, piano, autoharp, electronics, electric organ, guitar and percussion (Check out that Egg Whisk on the song Long Time!)

I'm so delighted that Charles agreed to join me on the podcast - this is not really something that he does - but what you're going to hear is his story. We'll dive back to the beginning and take a deep dive into the day to day running of the output of the studio....

It's a real honour and delight to be able to share this with you... ENJOY!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 177: Simon Halfon - Graphic designer and Film Producer on The Style Council, Paul Weller Solo & The Jam

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear from graphic designer and film producer, Simon Halfon to discuss his incredible porfolio of work with The Jam, The Style Council and Paul Weller solo...

We find out about his love of The Jam - and how he first met Paul Weller in 1979 following a gig in Bridlington when he and his mates stayed up with the band drinking and putting the world to rights until the early hours.

On this podcast chat, we hear how he fell into art design by accident via the creation of a fanzine (that provided another early connection to The Jam) to a job in the postroom at Stiff Records, then assisting Neville Brody at The Face magazine.

The first sleeve Simon designed was for Department S, whose singer Vaughn Toulouse became part of a gang of friends that included journalist Paolo Hewitt, DJ Gary Crowley and Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama.

His first commission as a freelancer in 1982, was by Paul Weller through the design on the sleeve for a book that he was publishing about the Small Faces.

When Paul formed The Style Council with Mick Talbot in 1983, it was Simon that he turned to for the record sleeve designs starting with Speak Like a Child, right the way through to the Modernism album cover that was completed for it's ultimate release in the 90s.

We also chat about Simon's creations with Paul Weller for singles and albums for 20 years of the solo career - an incredible collective of work from that first single sleeve from Into Tomorrow in 1991 and those wonderful matchday programmes and merch designs, right through to 2010's Fast Car/Slow Traffic...

Simon also designed every album sleeve with Paul from that debut solo album through to Wake Up The Nation in 2010...

You'll hear about their shared love of The Beatles (which led to Simon designing the cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Milk and Honey album in 1984) and Simon's work with other long standing clients including the late George Michael and Oasis.

In the mid noughties Simon had started to take an interest in the film industry, inspired by friendships forged during his time in LA. He produced his first feature film in 2008, the Kenneth Branagh directed Sleuth, which was to become the last screenplay by Harold Pinter and starred Michael Caine & Jude Law.

But it wasn't until 2016 that Simon really embraced the film world, when the Gallagher brothers approached him to tell the story of Oasis. As lead producer, he brought together the team to create the award winning feature ‘Supersonic’, a documentary of huge commercial and critical success.

We also chat about the incredible Wham documentary for Netflix that he produced - which topped the charts in the summer of 2023...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 176: Joe Connor - Film Director, Screenwriter, Photographer & Musician...

On this episode of my Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we cross to Cape Town where we find multi-award-winning Film Director, Musician, Screenwriter and Photographer - Joe Connor on his latest top secret shoot...

Our discussion kicks off with the creation of his brilliant Sky Arts Wild Wood Documentary - a 2023 film that features the story behind the 1993 Paul Weller masterpiece as it celebrates it's 30th anniversary.

Joe also happened to create the unforgettable kaleidoscope-led music video for Brand New Toy in 2014 - featuring Paul Weller, Ben Gordelier and an actual build of a massive optical toy!

2018 saw Joe's first EVER feature-length project hit cinema screens as he followed Paul Weller on his road to a landmark performance at The Royal Festival Hall. May Love Travel with You is a celebration of Paul's True Meanings album and the concerts that led to the Other Aspects double album release.

The film documents a stunning performance of the full album, along with plenty of deepcuts and PW classics, inter-cut with interviews with the man himself, and array of amazing collaborators!

In 2008, Joe graduated from London’s illustrious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with First Class Honours in Performance Art, specialising in Directing, Mime and experimental theatre.

While at the Central School, he founded the anarchic theatre collective Parrot {In The} Tank, whose cinematic aesthetic and light-hearted visual humour saw them create shows for the Institute of Contemporary Art, The Roundhouse, The Prague Scenofest and The Arts Theatre in Leicester Square in London’s West End.

As a filmmaker, Joe has created music videos for some of the biggest artists in music from The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Sam Smith, Harry Styles and Kylie Minogue to Japanese legend Hikaru Utada, Rag’n’Bone Man, Elbow and Placebo.

Joe’s multitude of talents and trades, combined with his innate storytelling inclination, allow him to craft narratives that entertain, enlighten, and forge connections. His stories reflect a deep understanding of human nature and offer a lens through which we can explore and appreciate our shared experiences.

His work has been recognised with nominations at Cannes Lions, D&AD, British Arrows, 1.4 Awards, Creative Circles, with 5 x UK Music Video Award nominations, Vimeo Staff Picks and a Best Director award at the Indie Music Video Festival.

His first album, released under the pseudonym Vincent Sonder, also happened to be recorded at Paul Weller’s Black Barn Studio...

Find out more about Joe's amazing work at josephvconnor.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 175 : Chris Pope from The Chords

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by Chris Pope - Songwriter, Musician and one of the founding members of The Chords.

We take a journey through the bands formation at the tail end of 1978, after original singer/guitarist Billy Hassett and his bass playing cousin, Martin Mason, advertised for musicians in NME.

Chris got the job and the band were soon into live gigs and studio recordings.

Their style was a combination of punk and the 1960s influenced sound of the time.

At the end of March 1979, the band played the Wellington in Waterloo to packed crowds with Paul Weller in the audience. This helps the band secure more gigs and an important support slot to The Jam.

With the Mod Revival in full swing, what follows are two John Peel sessions, a few singles, Top of the Pops, and an album (So Far Away)....

The band also played Loch Lomond Festival in June 1980 with Bad Manners, Stiff Little Fingers, The Tourists and The Jam…

Paul Weller was a big supporter of the band and Chris in the press - once calling him “the best songwriter of his generation”...

The Chords UK

Chris Pope formed The Chords UK in 2013 to continue playing ‘classic’ Chords tunes such as Maybe Tomorrow, The British Way Of Life and So Far Away - whilst also pushing forward with new music too...

The band is made up of Chris, Kenny Cooper, Sandy Michie, and Dave Murrell, with a live setlist featuring all of the original hits along with tracks from the three LP’s that they have released so far.

They have been cited live as “an incendiary rock n roll outfit” by Louder Than War.

You can buy the music on Bandcamp, watch videos on YouTube , listen on Spotify and follow for news and live show info on Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 174: Ben Gordelier - Musician, Producer, Drums/Samples/Percussion for the Paul Weller band...

What a delight it is to have Paul Weller band member - Ben Gordelier - join me on my podcast.

Ben chats about his discovery of music, love of The Beatles and Laurel & Hardy, being "brought up in a music rehearsal studio" and working as a drummer and producer since his early teens... even going on his first European tour at the age of 16!...

Since 2012, Ben has been playing drums, percussion and performing samples with Paul Weller - from the Sonik KIcks gigs at The Roundhouse to gigs across the UK, Europe, Japan, USA, Australia... that stunning Other Aspects gig at the Royal Festival Hall through to the latest tours, festivals and TV performances...

He has played a key role on many of Paul's albums too - starting with The Attic on Sonik Kicks, with more input on Saturns Pattern, A Kind Revolution, On Sunset and Fat Pop....

We've had plenty of singles and b-sides in that time too - including the cover of Birthday for Paul McCartney's 70th with Brand New Toy and Flame Out as other great examples...

Together with Andy Crofts and others, Ben is also part of the band The Moons - releasing 4 studio albums including 2020's fabulous Pocket Melodies - recorded at Studio 2 Abbey Road.

Any spare time he has is spent in his home studio recording drums for various artists and mixing bands from all over the globe... including previous podcast guests - P.P. Arnold, Declan O'Rourke, Steve Ellis and Steve Brookes...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 173: Simon O’Brien - from The Style Council fan to Weller Tour Crew…

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we meet Simon O'Brien and hear his a journey from The Style Council fan in his teens to joining Paul Weller tour security in 2000.

We talk Red Wedge, the Paul Weller Movement, and being In the right place at the right time for the Heliocentric tour with a band on fire...

You'll hear stories on Paul, John Weller, Kenny Wheeler, and unforgettable gigs across the UK - including V2000, Glasgow's Gig on the Green and the final night at Earl's Court...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 172: Dylan White - Legendary Record Plugger

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by legendary record plugger, Dylan White.

Dylan has worked in the music business for over 30 years now... UK Radio & TV Music Promotion, Consultant and Artist Management. 

A multi-award-winning record plugger since the early 90s, he has promoted the music of Oasis, U2, Fatboy Slim, Travis, Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Suede, Primal Scream, The Libertines, Portishead, Billy Bragg, Manic Street Preachers, and more...

And of course - Paul Weller...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 171: All Mod Cons - The World's First Tribute to The Jam... Barry Pugatch and Andy Cook share their story...

On this episode of the podcast, we hear the story of Barry Pugatch and Andy Cook - two fans of The Jam who ended up bringing one of the original tribute bands from the US to the UK for sell out performances in the 1990s.

All Mod Cons were created in Boston, New England, USA in 1989 with Barry as Paul Weller on lead vocals and guitar with his pals - Glenn Matto (Bruce Foxton) on bass and vocals and AJ Beaulieu (Rick Buckler) on drums.

What follows is a remarkable story of connections via a Paul Weller fanzine that saw Andy Cook take on management of the band to bring them to the UK for tours in the 1990s and 2000's.

This was pre-From The Jam, pre-The Gift - it was really pre-tribute bands bar the odd couple like Bjorn Again and Australian Pink Floyd.

At the time, All Mod Cons were also really the only way to hear a full set of those classic songs by The Jam live in concert.

In our podcast chat, you'll how they both got to meet and interact with Paul, Bruce and Rick on various occasions.. and even how Barry got to jam with Paul in a unique location!...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 170: Robert Howard / Dr. Robert - The Blow Monkeys

On this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by Singer, Songwriter, Multi-instrumentalist and Producer, Robert Howard, aka Dr. Robert of The Blow Monkeys.

We take a journey through his youth and his discovery of punk, politics and The Jam whilst living in Australia in the 1970s...

He returned home in 1981 and formed the band, leading to so many fabulous albums and singles - their debut Limping for a Generation, that breakthrough LP Animal Magic and their hit singles Digging Your Scene, It Doesn't Have To Be This Way, Choice - right up to their brilliant 2021 album release Journey To You...

On the podcast, we hear so many personal stories , never told before, about his friendship and collaborations with Paul Weller - whether it's recording at Solid Bond, being part of Red Wedge, an Honorary Councillor for the final The Style Council live shows, co-producing Dee C. Lee's Slam Slam project and playing on each others early solo albums.

We also chat about Rise Up Singing - the Monks Road Social collaboration that saw Paul and Robert come together for a new song together in 2022... 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 169: Carleen Anderson - Singer, Songwriter, Composer, Producer, Arranger, Writer...

My latest podcast guest Carleen Anderson really needs no introduction.

A genuine world class artist... She's such a huge talent in her own right and another to enter Paul Weller's orbit during the solo years - providing us with some very special moments on record and live.

Throughout her solo career, she’s been featured alongside a multitude of established artists from a wide array of musical genres - Nigel Kennedy, Dr. John, Omar, Chrissie Hynde, Jocelyn Brown, Meshell Ndgeocello, Paul McCartney, Brand New Heavies, Incognito, Ramsay Lewis and more...

The Huffington Post called her "Without doubt one of the all-time great female vocalists... Carleen must be seen to be believed..."

Amy Winehouse once said "Carleen Anderson - She's someone who I would sit around the venue all day, just to hear her soundcheck..."

On this exclusive podcast chat, we hear about her upbringing in Houston, Texas where she was raised by her paternal grandparents during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Reared up on the sounds rooted in Gospel music inherited from the Pentecostal church where the pastor, David Anderson, Sr. her paternal Grandfather, and her Grandmother Alberta, raised her from an infant.

We'll hear stories of her musical family. She is the daughter of soul singer Vicki Anderson, step-daughter of singer, songwriter, Bobby Byrd... and god-daughter of James Brown!. Her birth Father, Dr. Reuben P. Anderson, Sr., is the pastor of his own church in Compton, California, further extending the connection Carleen still retains in gospel music.

We'll hear about her relocation with her son to England in 1990 and the just-by-chance beginning of her professional career as the vocalist, composer, arranger and recording artist for Young Disciples.

The band were shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize in 1992.

Carleen released her debut solo album in 1994, and was nominated for a Independent Artist Brit Award in 1995.

Our connections with Paul Weller begin with Young Disciples as their album was recorded at Solid Bond Studio, and take us through Paul's debut solo album through standout highlights on Stanley Road -especially their spine-tingling shared vocals on Wings of Speed, a co-produced Carleen Anderson album called Blessed Burden in 1998, and performances on record and on stage around Illumination and Studio 150 - complete with two DVD releases of those Weller gigs...

Carleen was named Jazz FM’s UK Vocalist of 2013 and four years later, musicologist Gilles Peterson presented her with a Worldwide FM Lifetime Achievement Award.

These days, Carleen is focused on establishing a platform to expand the stylings of music storytelling theatre.

Her most recent album - Cage Street Memorial - was nominated in 2018 for Jazz FM’s Innovation of the Year. The project was more than just an album of original music, it was also a theatre production written and performed by Carleen, and an autobiographical book of the same name.

Since 2020, she has been working on what she describes as "a blended-roots Opera called MELIOR Opus Griot" with a regional premiere in Devon and a worldwide double album release scheduled for 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 168: Sam Molnar talks Wake Up Woking, Wild Wood at Woking Hospice and a 50 year friendship...

On this episode of the podcast, we chat to Sam Molnar and hear his incredible connections with Paul Weller from The Jam to now...

We'll discover how he's become Sammy Carpet to the Weller family... how he created Wake Up Woking and an incredible homecoming gig in 2010... which featured live music from Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Steve Brookes and Paul's first gig in his home-town for 30 years.

More up to date, Sam came up with the idea for the Wild Wood Garden at Woking Hospice which Paul opened in 2022, raising further awareness and much needed funds for the hospice...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 167: Keiko Egawa... Super-fan stories from Tokyo to London and beyond...

On this episode of my Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by Keiko Egawa - a Japanese super-fan who has been to hundreds of gigs over the past 40+ years - seeing The Jam sixty-nine times, The Style Council sixty plus and Paul Weller solo over one-hundred and fifty times...

We'll hear her story from discovering The Jam through In The City as a teenager growing up in Tokyo, to travels to London for her first live experience of the band at The Rainbow Theatre and adventures across the UK, Europe and back home from 1980 to now...

You're going to hear how one band and their music changed her life forever...

Along with some very special memories with some lovely connections with Paul Weller, and his dad / manager, John Weller over the years too...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by music journalist Adrian Thrills.

Adrian became a fan of The Jam from 1976 - pre-Polydor record deal - seeing them at the 100 Club, upstairs at Ronnie Scotts, The Marquee, Red Cow in Hammersmith and at many more gigs...

Together with his friend, Shane McGowan, Adrian did one of the very first interviews with the band for own 48 Thrills fanzine (One of the original punk fanzines that launched in '76).

As a friend, and journalist, he became part of the inner-circle, even joining the band on the road with gigs in Dunstable, Crawley, Malvern, Falkirk and Barrow-in-Furnesss...

Adrian spent the 1980s at NME, where he continued to feature and review The Jam, even conducting one of the final interviews with Paul before the split at the end of 1982.

Look closely at the rear sleeve for live album Dig the New Breed for a brilliant shout-out too!

"A brief six years , sweaty frantic Red Cow residency, 1st week 50 people, 2nd week 100, by the fourth week. A queue around the block! SWITCH the marquee with Shane, Claudio and Adrian dancing on stage to the confusion of the usual Marquee hippies!"

In more recent years, Adrian has been a music writer for The Daily Mail and he's reviewed plenty of Paul Weller albums in his time there.

He also created sleeve notes on The Very Best of The Jam, The Jam Live at the BBC and the Hit Parade boxset in 2006.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear the incredible story of Reaction - a Mod-influenced band from Burton-on-Trent, formed in November 1980 by Bruno Gallone.

It was a real delight to hear Bruno's incredible story from creating the band before he could even play an instrument to their first gig a few weeks later at the Guild Street Mod night in Burton....

What came next sounds too good to be true... but yes it actually happened.... on this podcast chat we dig in to the quite frankly ridiculously brilliant story of how, just a year later, the band got to support their heroes, The Jam, at the Hammersmith Palais in London (15th Dec 1981).

Playing mainly in venues throughout the midlands and London, REACTION played with passion and energy building a strong following in the Mod Revival scene, playing their own headline shows and with the likes of Secret Affair, Purple Hearts, and The Lambrettas amongst others.

Although there were several personnel changes throughout their short time, they stayed fiercely loyal to their beliefs and especially their home town, right up until their very last gig in May 1982.

Bruno returned to music in 2006 as a solo artist, and during lockdown ended up creating new music with Reaction for an album that celebrated their part in the Mod Revival.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the 40th anniversary of the release of Introducing The Style Council (Sept 1983), it seemed fitting to spend an episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast revelling in the enduring magic of this iconic band.

To commemorate this milestone, we have the privilege of diving into the heartfelt stories of two unwavering super-fans, Brenda Taylor and Karen McBride.

Their journey into the world of The Style Council began against the backdrop of the early '80s when Brenda, already a devoted fan of The Jam, crossed paths with Karen while working as nurses.

Little did they know that their shared passion for music, particularly the soulful sounds of The Style Council and the enigmatic Paul Weller, would lay the foundation for an extraordinary 40-year friendship.

What you're about to discover are not just anecdotes, but a treasure trove of memories, laughter, and the kind of escapades that only true music aficionados can relate to. Brenda and Karen's enduring friendship has been interwoven with the music of The Style Council, creating a bond that has withstood the test of time.

Their tales will take you on a nostalgic journey through four decades of music and friendship. From intimate gigs in smoky, dimly lit clubs to tales on board the band bus, to organised coach & ferry trips into Europe and jet-setting across the globe to catch electrifying performances, Brenda and Karen have witnessed it all. Their shared experiences reflect the passion and dedication of fans who have truly lived and breathed the music.

This episode is a testament to the enduring power of music to unite hearts and transcend time.

So, get ready to immerse yourself in the stories that have woven the tapestry of Brenda and Karen's lives together, all thanks to the timeless music of The Style Council.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 163 - Billy Sullivan - Singer, Songwriter & Musician talks Paper Dreams Solo Debut, The Spitfires supporting Paul Weller, a love of The Jam and more.

My special guest on this episode of Desperately Seeking Paul - The Paul Weller Fan Podcast is the hugely talented singer, songwriter and musician - Billy Sullivan.

His story takes us from a love of music as a child through to the formation of The Spitfires in 2012 and building a cult fan base on their own terms through hundreds of highly energetic and powerful live performances and 5 brilliant studio albums.

It’s no surprise that the band came to the attention of Paul Weller and The Specials who both personally invited the band along for support slots.

The four-piece from Watford carved out a niche for themselves, blending elements of punk, ska, and rock to create their unique sound.

A Young Mod with a Passion for Music

Billy Sullivan's journey in music began at a really young age. Growing up in a music-loving household, he was introduced to the sounds of The Beatles, The Who, Small Faces, and, of course, Paul Weller and The Jam. The band, and particularly the songwriting of Paul Weller, left an indelible mark on Billy's musical sensibilities.

It was the band's music that first sparked Billy's interest in playing the guitar.

Paul’s sharp lyrics and distinctive guitar work resonated with him deeply, and he set out to learn how to play those iconic riffs.

Supporting on Live Dates: The Spitfires and Paul Weller

One of the most remarkable chapters in Billy Sullivan's music career came when The Spitfires were invited to support Paul Weller on tour. The invitation to share the stage with a musical hero was a testament to The Spitfires' rising profile and their authentic sound, image and outlook.

Billy has spoken fondly of Paul Weller's influence on his songwriting, citing his ability to craft insightful, socially conscious lyrics as a driving force behind his own work.

Billy called time on The Spitfires in December 2021, going on to release an outstanding solo debut album Paper Dreams in March 2023. Recorded over just three days in Coastal Sound recording studios in Liverpool, the album was produced by one-time Weller collaborator Simon Dine.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by the award-winning stand-up comedian, broadcaster and podcaster, Ian Stone.

A huge fan of The Jam and Paul Weller since discovering the band in 1977 via John Peel's late night show on Radio One, Ian published his first book in 2020 – To Be Someone – a memoir about one teenager’s obsession with The Jam…

Paul Weller commented “I really liked this book. I’d forgotten how shit it was in the seventies”…

We dive into his memory band from hearing that first single to attending live concerts and soundchecks and that specia the connection with the music, the lyrics and the look of the band...

In May 1977, The Jam made their mark on the music scene with the release of their debut single, In The City. However, in the midst of this musical revolution, Britain was grappling with widespread discontent, and young Ian Stone's household was no exception. A fourteen-year-old navigating the challenges of school, witnessing Arsenal's dismal football performances, and enduring his parents' crumbling marriage, Ian's life seemed far from idyllic. Beyond his personal struggles, the nation was grappling with its own demons - racial tensions, violence, inner-city riots, police scandals, rising unemployment, and the looming threat of terrorism.

But in 1978, one fateful evening would change Ian's life forever. The Jam took the stage at London's Music Machine, igniting an electrifying atmosphere with their iconic sound. As they launched into ninety minutes of unforgettable pop tunes, Ian's world was transformed. The sheer exhilaration of that moment eclipsed anything he had ever experienced.

To Be Someone is a vivid account of the five years Ian spent captivated by his obsession with The Jam. He took on weekend jobs to fund his gig attendance, embarked on daring escapades like sneaking onto the roof of the Hammersmith Odeon, and narrowly escaped eviction from a Brighton hotel, only to be saved by none other than Paul Weller himself, who invited Ian and his friends back into the bar.

Above all, the book serves as a heartfelt tribute to the band that guided Ian, and countless others, through the tumultuous landscape of Britain in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

When Paul Weller eventually announced The Jam's breakup, Ian was left devastated.

Yet, for him and the legions who embarked on that transformative five-year journey, their enduring love for the band remains unwavering.

To Be Someone captures not only the spirit of a generation but also the indelible impact of The Jam's music on the lives of its ardent fans during a pivotal era in British history.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the realm of music enthusiasts and vinyl collectors, few names command as much respect and admiration as Keb Darge. The legendary out-spoken Scotsman has left an indelible mark on the world of music with has an uncanny ability to unearth rare and forgotten musical treasures.

Over the past 40-plus years, he has been heavily involved in the northern soul, deep funk, rockabilly, and sixties garage scenes. 

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear the true story about his journey in music - from dance competitions (driven by the prize money on offer!) to a fascination with obscure music genres that lead to him exploring the depths of record distribution warehouses all over the world.

As soon as he had enough money together he started collecting and buying Northern Soul in the UK, during regular trips to the US and was starting to play around the Wigan area at the heyday of The Casino. By 1981 he had gained a respectful reputation as a DJ.

His legendary nights at London's 'Madame Jojo's' and 'The Blue Note' showcased his knack for introducing audiences to tracks that had been relegated to obscurity. His unique selections rejuvenated dance floors and gave new life to forgotten sounds.

This fella had control of Madame Jo Jo’s every Friday for 18 years, and every Saturday for 10 years - playing incredible music that you would normally only hear at the most serious scene events.

Keb's uncanny ability to spot musical gold amidst stacks of vinyl propelled him to become a renowned DJ and collector.

As you'll hear on this podcast, Keb met Paul Weller whilst DJing at a one of a birthday party for Nicky Weller.

The two got along well, and Keb started sourcing rare records for Paul, leading to them DJ’ing together at nights in London and Europe.

As he always does with DJs, Keb kept a close eye on what Paul was pulling out of his record box. “Not a duff tune in sight, with records ranging from classic floor fillers to the super obscure.

He was not tainted by any collectors’ scene attitude, just played the tunes he liked...”

The pair ended up collaborating on a compilation release in 2010 called Lost & Found - Real R'n'B and Soul.and remain friends to this day...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the dynamic world of music, a few trailblazers stand out, reshaping the industry with their audacious ideas and unshakeable passion.

Andy Macdonald - the maverick behind the Go Discs and Independiente record labels - is undeniably one such luminary.

With a knack for spotting raw talent and an unwavering commitment to artistic authenticity, Andy is one of the most successful UK independent music entrepreneurs of the modern era.

In this World Exclusive Podcast conversation, we discover how his early interactions with the music industry at Stiff Records exposed him to the inner workings of record labels and the art of artist development.

We learn how his journey in the business was kick-started through a strong passion for discovering and nurturing talent and a conversation that lit the fuse...

And for the first time, Andy shares his experiences with Paul Weller.

From signing him to Go Discs in 1992 and the release of their first single together "Uh Huh Oh Yeh!".

This was the song that open up my world to Weller and what a journey it was in the 90s!.

That debut solo album (via a Japanese record label) to Wild Wood and then the huge success of Stanley Road.

We'll hear how they continued to work together through Heavy Soul and Heliocentric, despite the Polygram takeover of the label, and then onto a new venture - Independiente with the album's Days of Speed and Illumination.

Founded in 1983, Go Discs quickly established itself as a breeding ground for innovative and groundbreaking artists. Andy's vision was simple yet profound: to provide a platform for artists to express their creativity without compromising their artistic integrity. This ethos resonated deeply with musicians and listeners alike, setting Go Discs Records apart from its contemporaries.

Key signings included Billy Bragg, The Housemartins, The LAs, Madness, Beautiful South and of course, Paul Weller.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I chat with Bob Manton and 'Just Jeff' Shadbolt from Purple Hearts. Formed in 1978, they were a mod-influenced band that blended elements of post-punk, new wave, and mod revival, creating a distinct and energetic sound that resonated with a wide audience beyond the confines of the mod scene.

We talk about their discovery of The Jam as punk loving teenagers in Essex, to the creation of their first band The Sockets and an original punk rock opera inspired by a NME cartoon strip that poked fun of Paul, Bruce and Rick...

That band turned into Purple Hearts and a more mod-influenced sound, which, thanks largely to The Jam, was beginning to capture public attention.

The band even went on to support The Jam in 1981 - and Paul Weller even produced and played on a couple of songs for what would have been their second album...

As you'll hear on the podcast, whilst they were often associated with the mod scene, Purple Hearts transcended categorization, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of their audience that continues to beat strong over four decades later. Their unique blend of music and passion for mod culture set them apart, making them not just a mod band, but a band that truly loved and embodied the mod spirit.

For the latest news on the band - head to their Facebook group here...

The Band

Bob's distinct vocals and Jeff's skilled bass-guitar work formed the foundation of the band's sound with guitarist, Simon Stebbing and Gary Sparks on drums. Their partnership went beyond just musical collaboration – it was a meeting of minds that allowed Purple Hearts to craft songs that resonated deeply with their audience.

The Fans

Purple Hearts' connection with their audience wasn't just ephemeral; it was deeply personal and lasting. The band's lyrics spoke to the realities of everyday life, love, and the struggles of youth, resonating with fans across generations. Their relatable songs weren't confined to a specific time or place, giving them a timeless appeal that continues to draw listeners in. This connection wasn't solely about the music; it was about sharing experiences and emotions that have universal relevance.

The Weller Connection

Purple Hearts signed to Chris Parry's Fiction Records label in 1979.

You may remember Chris from Episode 76 as the man who signed The Jam to Polydor!.

When that deal came to an end, Paul Weller produced a couple of demos for the band - also playing and providing backing vocals on Plane Crash and Concrete Mixer.

In February 1981, Purple Hearts supported The Jam on tour dates at Sheerwater Youth Club Woking, Norwich University, Nottingham University and Crawley Leisure Centre.

Bob and Jeff also mentioned Brighton, although I haven't managed to find a live date in 1981 for that in the archives.... do let me know people!

Photo on the cover - Martyn Goddard (Podcast Guest 41) also took the shot for the cover of their single "My Life's a Jigsaw" on Safari Records.

In 2021, Bob and Jeff created PH2 (Internationally known as Purple Hearts 2) and released a couple of new singles - Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Steve Cradock - 1974 / You Can't Tell Me Lies and Urban Soul / Livin' in the 70's.

In a further link with The Jam , you can see Purple Hearts on the road in 2023 and 2024 supporting Bruce Foxton and Russell Hasting's From The Jam...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part of the music industry for nearly 50 years, Kevin Metcalfe takes a break from enjoying his recent retirement to join me on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast.

Kevin is an industry legend. A sound mastering engineer with an impressive repertoire of all kinds of artists and all types of musical styles under his belt. This fella has played a key role on hundreds, if not thousands, of singles and album releases over the years including David Bowie, Adele, U2, Queen, ELO, Depeche Mode, Pulp, Simply Red, The Who, Brian Eno, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Mark Stewart, Adrian Sherwood and more…

This is one of those episodes where we hear the connections to Paul Weller ( he mastered Illumination, Studio 150, As Is Now and Catch-Flame) but also plenty of tales from a career that started in 1973, as a 20 year old cutting discs with cassettes and 8-track at RCA…

He soon moved to Delane Lea / CTS Studios at Wembley ( or The Music Centre as it came to be known) - where they scored the Bond movies and the world’s great reggae artists who’d pop in straight off the plane from Jamaica.

It was at Utopia Studios from 1979 to 1983 that he really built his reputation as a sound and engineering mastering expert. Kevin worked with Roxy Music, Duran Duran, Ultravox and Japan. As the punk scene took off, Kevin worked with The Clash, Siouxsie Soux and more…

Kevin got asked to join Virgin Records in 1982 (which later became part of EMI) and ended up staying for 15 years. He then went on to create his own company Soundmasters UK in 1997, which led to the work with Paul Weller, along with Adele, Damon Albarn, Can, Gary Clail (another personal favourite), Orbital, African Headcharge…

We also have a few other PW connections with former podcast guests - Nick Heyward, Kathryn Williams and The Zombies!.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by songwriter, musician Chris Free.

He was one half of the duo A Craze who were signed to Paul Weller’s Respond record label in the early 1980s.

We chat about his love of punk including The Jam and The Clash and his first band The Users, to meeting Lucy Barron, forming A Craze and getting signed to the project.

The band played on the Respond package tours, on line ups featuring Tracie Young, The Questions and Vaughan Toulouse. They were also on the bill for the BBC broadcast gig featuring The Style Council at the Paris Theatre in London.

A Craze released one single, the Paul Weller produced Wearing Your Jumper and featured on the Respond sampler LP, Love the Reason with their song Keeping the Boys Amused.

Chris and Lucy also wrote Give It Some Emotion which got to 24 in the UK charts and You Must Be Kidding which was the b-side to Soul's On Fire...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the podcast, we take a journey from The Jam to Paul Weller Solo via two super-fans... and a wonderful love story...

David Rowe, and his partner, Jo White, have been to around 450 live shows and have some incredible stories and connections over the past 45 years... including joining the merchandise team for The Style Council and Paul Weller Solo!.

David met Jo at school in St.Austell (double history) when she moved to Cornwall from Bounds Green, North London in 1978. They got the same bus to and from school (Jo to Pentewan, and David to Mevagissey). As you'll hear on the podcast, Jo introduced David to The Jam and they formed a great friendship through the music and live performances.

Jo moved back to London in March 1984 when she started her nursing career in Paediatric Intensive Care.

In April 1984, David started working as a Postman in St.Austell but left when he didn’t have enough annual leave to do the 2nd Style Council tour in October 1984!.

David moved to London in 1985 and inspired by messages & campaigning from Paul Weller... he worked for The BUAV (The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) , Greenpeace UK and then Amnesty International, where he worked for 26 years....

In 1985, David and Jo started doing ad-hoc merchandising work for Brian Hawkins, who had done The Jam’s merchandise before doing The Style Council.

It started off just selling programmes after gigs and gradually they helped to set up and travelled with Brian, culminating in working on the early Paul Weller solo tours and the U.S. gigs in December 1991 and all Weller solo UK tours until the end of 1992 when Brian sadly lost the contract.

Their only stipulation on doing the merch was that they clocked off at show time and came back out to sell after the encore!.

David says "We’ve attended about 450 Shows (The Jam, The Style Council & Weller solo). Jo did a few more Jam shows than me. We did every Style Council UK tour date ( we both missed the Manchester Apollo gig on 12 October 1984 after the Wembley rail crash and I missed two more whilst doing The Communards ‘Red’ tour in 1987)."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by another hugely talented individual in the world of music - Engineer, producer, mixer and editor, Fiona Cruickshank.

One of the few people to feature on our series, who is involved in more music releases each year than Mr Weller ! She has been working in studios for over a decade now and is more in demand than ever - even getting a well deserved double win at the 2022 Music Producer Guild Awards for Recording Engineer of the Year and Breakthrough Producer of the Year.

Her portfolio shows a breadth of creative approaches transcending film, music, and performance arts.

Check out some of her incredible CV below... including Paul Weller's 2020 and 2021 album releases - On Sunset and Fat Pop (Volume 1).

PaulWellerFanPodcast.com/episode-155-fiona-cruickshank

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, recorded at the Here Comes The Weekend event in Woking, I chat to another huge talent to join this incredible musical journey. Steve Nichol.

He’s a Multi-instrumentalist, Producer, Songwriter… who just happens to one of the founders of influential eighties Brit Soul flag bearers Loose Ends…

It was a joy to hear his memories of a year spent with on keys and trumpet with The Jam…

Live performances across the UK, Europe, US and Japan…

Top of The Pops… and music promo videos…

And on record with multiple tracks on the band’s final chart-topping album The Gift… and tracks on their final single releases…

His time with the band began towards the end of 1981…

The Jam had already established themselves as a pretty awesome force to be reckoned with – riding the crest of a (new) wave from the world of punk to become one of the biggest bands in Britain.

Five Top 40 albums (Three of those hitting the Top Ten) and eleven Top 40 singles ( Five of those going Top Ten with a couple hitting the Number One spot!)….

However, as the band evolved and sought to expand their musical boundaries, they recognized the need for a fresh infusion of talent. Enter Steve Nichol, a multi-talented musician with an undeniable flair for trumpet and keys.

The Jam with a brass section… who’d have thought it?

Together with Keith Thomas (who sadly passed away last year), Steve’s addition to the line up brought a new dimension to their sound, blending melodic brass and keyboard contributions seamlessly with the band’s energetic new wave spirit.

Find out more in the shownotes to this podcast at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-154-steve-nichol

Buy a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a real honour to be asked to MC and interview guests at the recent Here Comes The Weekend event in Woking, and the first day was a 40th anniversary celebration of The Style Council.

Yes, it really has been 4 whole decades since the reveal of a new venture from a fella called Paul Weller who had been in a pretty small band called The Jam… and an absolute wizard on the keys… Mick Talbot…

The band went on release an incredibly diverse mix of singles - A sides , B sides - and albums that incorporated elements of pop, soul, jazz, classical and R&B into their sound.

Their music was characterized by its sophisticated and polished production, catchy melodies, and socially conscious lyrics.

Throughout the day, we had a great in-conversation session with Nicky Weller, live music from The Style Councillors and even an album playback of Café Bleu!

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, you can hear a recording of a special panel of guests chatting about their experiences in the band.

Founding member - Mick Talbot, along with Honorary Councillors... Singer - Jaye Ella Ruth AKA Jaye Williamson, Brass musician and arranger… the man on trumpet and flugelhorn - Stewart Prosser and Bass Player Camelle Hinds - a man so good on the bass that Weller tapped him up again in the 90s…

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by David Quantick - a writer whose work spans over 4 decades now. He joined NME as a staff writer in 1983.

We dig in to stories of The Jam, The Style Council and Paul Weller Solo... and David's connections to the man and his music...

He also just happens to be a hugely successful comedy writer and screenwriter for some of the most outstanding TV and Radio series over the past 30 years with credits for shows such as On the Hour, The Day Today, The Thick of It, Blue Jam, Harry Hill's TV Burp, Veep (for which he won an Emmy in 2015) and Avenue 5.

Find out more at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-152-david-quantick

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by Scottish author, David F. Ross.

David is an architect by day, and a hilarious social-media commentator, author and enabler by night.

His debut novel The Last Days of Disco inspired by The Jam's 1979 classic album - Setting Sons - became an international best-seller in 2015...

"The Jam were my first favourite band, and you never really forget your first love."

We learn all about his discovery of The Jam in the late 1970s, and the influences and connections that remain in play to this day.

The thrill of live performance being one example. David has seen Paul Weller on stage in one incarnation or another on close to thirty occasions. His very first gig was seeing the band when he was fifteen at Glasgow Apollo on 8th December 1979 - and he went on to see them live at Newcastle City Hall, Hammersmith Odeon, and even The Magnum in Irvine!....

The lyrics and words that Paul used in those songs that still mean so much to David and so many others to this day. An example being "That's Entertainment" - a song that David has described as "The greatest song in the English language. Paul Weller captured much of that humdrum, everyday boredom of teenage life in Thatcher’s Britain in The Jam songs of the late 70s and early 80s. It’s a brilliant evocation of those times, and I can identify absolutely with every line."

David's own writing owes an embryonic debt to Paul Weller, and to Setting Sons in particular. "I find that complex blend of youthful working-class hope coming apart at the seams of adult and mid-life pressures very relatable. It’s a powerful canvas on which to play out dramatic ideas about people and relationships, and one I return to regularly."

The Style Council... pop innovation...

Paul, Mick, Dee, Steve and the music created with honorary councillors a plenty also meant so much to David in the 1980s to now. A connection formed through the great songs again but also the image, the fashion, the sophistication, their core values, and, of course, the more overtly political approach to the lyrics... the power of words once again...

"...The Style Council weren’t given the credit for pop innovation and chameleon diversity that the songs deserved, especially those on those first two scintillating LPs."

David saw TSC on numerous occasions live including the very last night of the Glasgow Apollo, 16th June, 1985. (and in Manchester the night before - because "why not?").

"Still sounding essential and indispensable...

As you would expect, Paul Weller's solo years have been, and continue to be a huge influence on David - both personally and in his career as an author. Writing a fabulous blog on Paul's 2023 Hamburg gig he remarked... "In the early 90s, at the dawning of Weller’s solo career, it happened again. Marriage, kids, emerging personal and professional responsibilities; all relatable touchstones beginning to work their way into his lyrics just as they became catalysts for my own altered priorities."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we celebrate 150 episodes of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, what better way to mark the occasion than an episode with elusive producer, Brendan Lynch.

From working with The Style Council as an engineer towards the end of their life-cycle (Modernism/Promised Land/King Truman) to co-producing a series of outstanding solo album releases with Paul Weller. We're talking that Paul Weller debut solo album, Wild Wood, Stanley Road, Heavy Soul and Heliocentric.

He has also produced for Primal Scream, Ocean Colour Scene, 22-20s, Carleen Anderson and more...

During his time working with Paul, Brendan also gave us some epic remixes on tracks such as Kosmos, Science and Sunflower. (I've put links below so that you can have a listen).

Brendan has also remixed songs for the likes of Massive Attack, Air, Young Disciples, Dr John and Oasis (Champagne Supernova which was the band's first remix!). He was also a member of Paul Weller's touring band in the Heavy Soul period performing live with the band on numerous occasions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined singer-songwriter-musician-producer-sound artist, Gwenno AKA Gwenno Saunders.

She is another of those incredible talents to have entered Paul Weller's orbit - first as somebody whose music he has regularly recommended, and then as a remixer for one of his songs from On Sunset in 2020.

Her creations are things of beauty - sung in Cornish and / or Welsh - hypnotic with gorgeous, enchanting melodies, a captivating blend of dreamy synth-pop and ethereal vocals that transport listeners to otherworldly realms. Her work to date is a real sonic journey that immerses audiences in a unique and introspective musical experience.

It was a real delight to dive into her story-so-far, from that early love of music, being raised in a bi-lingual household by a Welsh activist mother and a Cornish poet father to the creation of a trilogy of stunning albums. The details of which you will find below. Albums that were introduced to me by (you've guessed it!) - Paul Weller...

Her debut alum Y DYDD OLAF won Welsh Album of the Year Award at the 2015 National Eisteddfod and the 2015 Welsh Music Prize. It was also mentioned in Uncut Magazine (Jan 2016 Issue)...

"The band come off stage buzzing, but there’s no time to celebrate. After a quick change of clothes - Weller hands over a CD to listen to. (Y Dydd Olaf by Gwenno) and shouting farewell, disappears down the stairs, followed by the band."

Her second album, LE KOV, was named as one of the best albums of 2018 by so many publications, including The Guardian, Uncut and Mojo.

Reaching #13 on the Official Independent Albums Chart (UK), it was nominated for 'Best Sophomore Release' at the 2018 AIM Independent Music Awards and shortlisted for the 2018 Welsh Music Prize.

Paul Weller featured it in his list in Uncut Magazine for the end of year round up.

Her third album, TRESOR released in 2022, took things to another level again.

It was also shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize, making Gwenno the first Mercury Music Prize nominated artist not to sing in English!.

It rightly earned it's place on album of the year lists everywhere - NME, Mojo, Uncut Magazine etc, including once again Paul Weller…who said “ I really loved Gwenno’s album - this is her best so far. She sings in Cornish and Welsh so I’ve no idea what the lyrics are about but the sound of the words is so beautiful and evocative."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the podcast was recorded live in front of a 'studio' audience at The Water Rats, London...

In the realm of music photography, there are certain individuals who possess a unique ability to capture the essence of a band, conveying their spirit through the lens. One such luminary is Peter Anderson, a photographer renowned for his collaboration with The Style Council.

Peter attended Glasgow School of Art and the Royal College of Art, London, he was staff photographer at New Musical Express in the 1980s, and worked for The Face, iD and Rolling Stone magazine.

Many of the most iconic images of The Style Council - Paul and Mick - were taken by him during their formative years (some taken before we even knew that they would be The Style Council).

Trough his lens, he managed to encapsulate the band's energy, camaraderie, and distinctive fashion sense, which became an integral part of their identity.

Look at the sleeves for those early singles - the rear of Speak Like a Child, the tree shot on Money-Go-Round, those amazing images for the À Paris EP, that Café Bleu album cover... iconic images that have stood the test of time.

He also took incredible photos of music icons such as Madonna, Iggy Pop, Marvin Gaye, Joe Strummer, Bowie, Jagger, Sade, Depeche Mode, Herbie Hancock, The Fall, Ozzy Osbourne…

Oh… and THE BEST BAND IN THE F@&KING WORLD - THE JAM!

Peter has a wonderful knack of being able to tell a visual story through his work. Each photograph possesses a narrative quality, inviting viewers into a world where music and aesthetics converge. His images not only showcase the band's on-stage charisma but also provide glimpses into Paul and Mick's camaraderie from day one.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drumming is often the rhythmic heartbeat that propels music forward, and within the realm of influential drummers, Bev Bevan's name shines brightly. Known for his exceptional talent, he has not only left an indelible mark on the music industry but has also inspired countless drummers around the world.

What an honour it is to have Bev join me on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast as we dig into memories of The Move (One of the best and most important British groups of the late 1960s).

The band are a huge favourite of Paul Weller so much so that he invited Bev to play on the Wake Up The Nation album, that was released in 2010.

At the time, Paul commented on his website... "Bev Bevan plays drums on this one. Producer, Simon Dine and I are big psychedelic music fans, so it was a real buzz. I was back to being a ten year old Move fan again."

Bev played drums on the two songs that open the album... Moonshine and Wake Up The Nation.

Paul Weller told him that he was his second choice; his first choice would have been Keith Moon...

Bev Bevan's impact on drumming and music is undeniable.

His exceptional talent, innovative style, and influential presence have made him a revered figure in the music industry. Aspiring drummers continue to draw inspiration from his work, fueling their own musical journeys. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast was recorded live at London's iconic The Water Rats venue.

My special guest, Mod Author and DJ, Paul 'Smiler' Anderson shared stories from The Jam to now.

Kicking off with how it was The Jam that ignited a lifelong passion for all things Mod.

We also dig in to three of his incredible books.

Kicking off with Mods: The New Religion which was published in 2013.

It's a vivid, exciting snapshot of what it was really like to be with the in-crowd... so much so that it got the seal of approval from Paul Weller, leading to collaborations on other projects and a friendship between the two since...

Find out more in the show-notes for this podcast at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com/episode-146-paul-smiler-anderson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear from Sarah Jane Morris - a singer-songwriter who has been sharing her musical talents with us for over 40 years now.

An artist who straddles rock, blues, jazz and soul and is in possession of a stunning four octave vocal range that'll blow your mind.

Her connections to Paul Weller date back to the mid-80s, when she was part of The Communards and they joined the Red Wedge Tour. As you'll hear 1986 was an pretty incredible year for her, with the worldwide smash-hit of Don't Leave Me This Way! as well.

She released her debut album, Sarah Jane Morris in March 1989, receiving great critical acclaim and selling over 100,000 copies. The second single Me And Mrs Jones attained cult status as the BBC banned it for its lesbian implications.

Sixteen solo albums later, pop stardom on the continent, and a diverse set of musical collaborations on record, film and stage, Sarah Jane continues to steer her unorthodox career to greater heights.

In the early 1990s, Paul Weller handed her a tune called Leaves Around the Door which she added to her live setlist, including for a performance captured on her Blue Valentine LIVE at Ronnie Scott's album.

You may well recognise the song under the name A Year Late which Paul himself recorded and released later on as the b-side to You Do Something To Me)

In another lovely Weller connection, in 2021, Sarah Jane recorded a new album called Let The Music Play, with the Italian producer Papik.

Both artists chose songs from the 80s and rearranged them with a jazz/bosa/soul vibe.

On the album, you'll find a stunning cover of You're The Best Thing by The Style Council along with songs from artists as diverse as Prefab Sprout, Barry White, Todd Rundgren, Simply Red and Everything But The Girl. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 144: Mark Cooper... Co-creator and founding producer of 'Later... with Jools Holland' and the annual Hootenanny plus Record Mirror Magazine Music Journalist and more...

My podcast guest on Episode 144 has a completely unique story from music journalist in the time of The Jam to co-creator of a music TV show that has featured Paul Weller more than any other artist.

Mark Cooper is another stunner of a guest, and WOW... What a storyteller!.

We dive in to the early days of The Jam as punk and new wave hits the US, finding Mark as a student who starts writing about gigs stateside. He then lands a job back home for Record Mirror, reviewing albums and singles, interview bands, musicians, singers and songwriters including Paul Weller in a wonderful interview with the headline of The Jam: Whine, Women and Song in the issue published on 17 July 1982

We also dig in to the incredible story of Later… with Jools Holland.

Mark is the co-creator and founding producer of the show and of the annual Hootenanny, booking and shaping both for 26 years without missing a single recording. So we hear all about it's creation to it's build into a musical and TV institution.... and so many stories of appearances and collaborations from our podcast subject - Paul Weller...

Mark also led the BBC's TV coverage of Glastonbury from a muddy 1997 until a locked down 20020 and executive producer over 250 BBC music documentaries including the Britannia and America strands and the year-by-year Top of the Pops histories.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As you will have heard many times on this podcast series so far, Paul Weller has a long tradition of supporting up and coming music artists.

Welsh neo soul artist Nia Wyn is another huge talent to get his stamp of approval and it was a real joy to hear her story on this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast.

Her music takes influence from Soul, RnB, Jazz, Pop and Hip-Hop to create something new, something that is uniquely hers. Trust me when I say that her incredible, unmistakable vocals will blow you away with each release and live performance....

In our podcast chat, we dig into the recent past to hear about her connections with Paul Weller from a WhatsApp intro that leads to Paul picking Nia up from Woking station for a songwriting and recording session at Black Barn Studio (Paul Weller HQ) and the creation of her beautiful soulful song “Turnstyles”.

Released as a single in June 2018, Paul plays bass, hammond organ and piano and sings backing vocals on the song.

We also chatted about live performance and as you'll hear on the podcast, Nia opened for Paul at his concert in York in August 2018, along with supporting him on dates for the rescheduled-rescheduled On Sunset / Fat Pop tour in 2021.

2022 saw her release more new music with her Magical Thinking EP and she also reached the finals of Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent competition. That Summer saw her go on to play the Somerset festival along with Latitude and she supported Paul Weller again at Lytham Festival... Not a bad year right?

Nia is another artist, to be endorsed by Paul, whose songs take you on a journey.

A raw and powerful style of storytelling that at times can be observational - stories about others, in the third person or more often it would seem that she is singing something deeply personal, open, honest and introspective. Not afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve to tackle topics that may appear to be taboo (her own mental health challenges as example) in an age where those areas of discussion really shouldn't be.

She has an incredible knack of making you think with her music whilst also having that all important gift of melody. Every release so far has been pretty special and builds on what has come before and I'm genuinely excited by what is to come in the future.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m delighted to be joined on the Paul Weller Fan Podcast by author, editor and music journalist, Paul Du Noyer… His interviewees have ranged from Madonna to Pavarotti, David Bowie to Mick Jagger and nearly everyone with a strong connection to The Beatles, not least Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

And of course interviews with Paul Weller!. Interviews during The Jam, The Style Council and Solo periods in publications such as NME, The Hit, Mojo and The Word Magazine.

You can find links to some of those interviews below...

Paul Du Noyer’s career began on the NME, he was on the launch teams of magazines - Q, MOJO, heat and The Word. He edited Q and was the founding editor of MOJO. For the latter he was named Editor of the Year by the British Society of Magazine Editors.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we dive in to the memories of Pete Mason.

Pete spent 17 years working for both major and independent record labels in the UK including Polydor, Phonogram, Chrysalis, Go! Discs and Independiente, which saw him involved with album & single releases from many of the UK’s finest artists including The La's, Billy Bragg, Portishead, The Beautiful South, Travis, and two of his all-time music heroes John Martyn and Paul Weller.

While at Independiente Paul Weller invited Pete to work as Executive Producer on his live solo acoustic album Days Of Speed. The acoustic, double live album featured songs from across Paul’s career including The Jam classics; That’s Entertainment and Town Called Malice, The Style Council’s Headstart For Happiness and Down In The Seine and solo hits such as You Do Something To Me and Wild Wood.

The album was released in 2001 and reached no.3 in the UK album charts which earned him a platinum disc for his efforts.

Pete also brought the legendary singer-songwriter and guitarist, John Martyn, to the Go! Discs label and then later to the Independiente label where he worked with John on four albums in an artist liaison role.

In 2004 Pete left the UK and moved to Wisconsin, USA, and set up Solid Air Music which includes a project recording studio where he has spent time composing his musical ideas and working with local artists, helping them to record and produce their music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the podcast, we hear from filmmaker, Steve Barron.

This fella was behind the music promo videos for The Jam's Strange Town, When You're Young, Going Underground and Dreams of Children... This was all pre-MTV... in a world where Top of the Pops wanted as-live performances rather than music videos.

He also happened to create some of the most-watched music videos of all time, we're talking "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits and "Take On Me" by A-ha as examples.

These films defined the medium during the early days of MTV and are still considered among the best of all time.

The videos for "Take On Me" and "Billie Jean" have each garnered over 1 billion views on YouTube.

Steve has also directed several films, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Coneheads (1993), The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996) and Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001).

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the podcast, we celebrate the release of Paul Weller’s new book Magic – A Journal Of Song through a conversation with its curator - journalist and author, Dylan Jones.

Dylan was my guest back on Episode 58 of the podcast, prior to this book being revealed and so I really wanted to check in, with my copy in hand to dig in to the 'making of' this incredible publication.

The hardback edition is officially available in bookstores from today (April 4th 2023), with the special limited editions shipping from May 2023.

The book takes us on a journey from In the City to Fat Pop, through unforgettable songwriting that has meant so much to so many. From The Jam in his teenage years, to creating The Style Council, through to his years as a solo musician.

Magic combines a selection of over 100 lyrics from across Paul Weller’s musical life, proving him to be the ultimate shapeshifter: from The Jam’s punk sensibilities to the genre-defying Style Council, through to a remarkable 30-year solo career. His third Genesis edition, Magic is narrated by Weller and illustrated with more than 450 photographs and pieces of ephemera throughout. A revealing commentary garnered over a series of conversations with journalist and author Dylan Jones covers the songs, the stories and inspirations behind them, and all of the 28 albums of Weller’s ever-evolving musical journey.

You can watch a video with Paul and Dylan and order the book at WellerBook.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear from Barry Cain - another key player in this incredible story arc as from the tail-end of the seventies to the beginning of the nineties, Barry was a music journalist, publisher, and PR man.

He joined Record Mirror at the end of 1976 - the start of the punk explosion - and was perfectly placed to take part in, and report on, the scene. Barry was viewed as an 'insider' by the bands of the time and his access was unrivalled. So much so that if you flip to the back sleeve of The Modern World album by The Jam, you'll see a credit to Barry... (Special thanks to Mr B. Cain (Teenage Blue).

On this podcast chat, we hear about his first The Jam gig at the Hope and Anchor to the band's first nationwide tour, travels across Europe including a visit to Dachau Concentration Camp, magazine reviews for gigs, singles and albums, and of course, interviews galore - including the band's final one.

We also hear how in 1980, together with writer Tim Lott, he launched Flexipop! magazine.

A publication which featured a flexi disc on the cover of each issue exclusively recorded by artists like The Jam, Blondie, Madness, the Cure, Adam Ant and even Genesis.

Flexipop! has to be the most bizarre pop music magazine ever published... stand-out features include Paul Weller as a TV critic, revealing his nasty habits, a photo history of The Jam and even Paul Weller in bondage...

Barry had such a great connection with The Jam that Paul even wrote and performed - ‘Pop-Art Poem’ – just for Flexipop!.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we dig in to stories from the solo years with Jamie Johnson.

Jamie has been working as a musician, producer and sound engineer since the early 1990’s.

As a house engineer at Phil Manzanera’s (Roxy Music) Gallery Studio, he recorded with some of the world's leading musicians and producers, before becoming freelance in 1999.

He has worked on numerous No 1 albums for artists including Paul Weller, Razorlight and David Gilmour, he co-produced Robert Wyatt's Mercury nominated album ‘Cuckooland’ in 2004, and recorded and mixed Paul Weller's Mercury shortlisted album ‘Wake Up The Nation’ in 2010.

Jamie also contributed to albums - Heavy Soul, Heliocentric, 22 Dreams, Sonik Kicks and A Kind Revolution.

Outside of the world of Weller, Jamie has also recorded albums with some of Spain and South America's most successful artists including Heroes Del Silencio, Robi Draco Rosa and The Hall Effect.

Jamie began teaching guitar in 2012, before starting Music Club in the summer of 2014.

Find out more in the show notes to this podcast at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-137-jamie-johnson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's celebrate the 40th anniversary of the start of The Style Council and the release of that debut single Speak Like a Child back on March 11th 1983.

I really wanted to chat to someone who knows what it's like to sing and perform that band's incredible songs live on stage to adoring audiences. In the absence of Paul Weller for our podcast series (so far?), I turned to Darren Fletcher - the fella behind The Style Councillors - an incredible tribute to the mighty Style Council.

Formed in 2013, the band have built a loyal fanbase for the group which was Paul Weller's musical home from 1983 to 1989 and where he wrote some of his finest pop songs. 

Their full band lineup replicates the very best from the back catalogue and not only do they replicate the vocal and sound of the songs but they also use the same original instruments to recreate the exact style and feel of the extensive original line up - including that swirling hammond organ and classic horn section...

The Style Councillors are as close as it gets to actually being there, back in the eighties.

Praised by the original members of the band for their love and dedication in order to 'do it how it was', come see probably the best tribute band in the world...

You can find more info on upcoming live dates here... seetickets.com/tour/the-style-councillors

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My special guest on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast is Punk Photographer, Andy Rosen.

Andy started out as a music photographer working on Record Mirror and Sounds and freelancing to NME, Melody Maker, The Face Magazine and most record companies during the burgeoning punk scene in the mid-1970s.

As a friend and cohort of many who went on to become the biggest names in punk, Andy had unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the musicians and artists of London’s early punk scene. 

Andy photographed many of The Jam's live gigs - including the final shots of the band in 1982 on that final gig in Brighton... plenty of his photos have never been shared... but more of that in our chat...

Andy also photographed the image for the rear of the Setting Sons album cover - taken on Brighton beach, the rear of the sleeve for Start! and the cover of Town Called Malice.

Find out more , buy Andy's prints with a special offer for podcast listeners, and find video of the chat with the reveal of those images at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-135-andy-rosen

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I’m joined by a huge fan of The Jam and Paul Weller... singer-songwriter Nick Heyward...

Nick burst onto the scene in the early 80s with his band Haircut One Hundred and the debut album Pelican West (which has just been re-released to celebrate the 40th anniversary! ).

On this episode of the podcast, Nick talks about his love of The Jam and connections with Paul Weller from sharing the stage in the US to the man who signed The Jam ( Chris Parry) to the legendary publisher, the late Brian Morrison, photographers Gered Mankowitz and Lawrence Watson to sleeve designer, Simon Halfon and much more...

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I’m joined by Franco-Algerian singer-songwriter and guitarist Souad Massi.

Souad began her career fronting the Kabyle political rock band Atakor, earning her a reputation as a troublemaker in an Algeria torn apart by civil war.

After fleeing to Paris following a series of death threats, she performed at the 1999 Femmes d'Algérie to great acclaim, earning her first recording contract.

She has forged her reputation over the course of a career spanning more than 20 years.

Driven by an unfailing determination to speak out for what she values most: freedom and justice.

Her songs are steeped in love, altruism and bravery.

Our Paul Weller connection comes in the 2000's - with Paul telling Uncut magazine in July 2008: "I've recently developed a bit of a thing about tango. I love that music. It's really emotional, passionate music. And in soundchecks we often mess about with tango and bolero rhythms. Again, Simon ( Dine ) had a backing track and I had a tune in my head and we started jamming on it. The melody is quite influenced by an Algerian singer called Souad Massi, who's been a huge inspiration recently."

As you’ll hear on the podcast, this led to the two of them creating music together at Black Barn Studio.

Resulting in a beautiful song called Let Me In Peace which featured as the last track on Souad’s album Ô Houria (Liberty).

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-133-souad-massi

And if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I’m joined by author, Richard Houghton - one of the people behind the book - The Jam - The Day I Was There.

With a foreword written by Jam drummer Rick Buckler, this book tells the story of The Jam in the words of over 300 fans. With memories from the earliest shows at clubs and pubs around Woking and London, UK and North American tours through to their last ever gig in Brighton in December 1982.

Told by the perspective of fans, promoters, studio engineers, photographers and support acts the book includes personal photographs, memorabilia, anecdotes and stories that have never been published before.

Richard has previously created books the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix (all of which are compilations of fan memories of seeing these legendary artists live). He has also co-written a book about the semi legendary indie band The Wedding Present with lead singer David Gedge and worked with Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark on their book, Pretending To See The Future.

You can buy the book, co-written with Neil Cossar (the fella behind the award winning web site and publisher - This Day in Music) here...

In 2023, Richard will be publishing books on the Faces, Slade, The Beatles, The Who and Pink Floyd... Find out more at richardmhoughton.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by keyboard wizard, singer and songwriter - Christopher Holland.

His session and touring work has featured the likes of Green On Red, Squeeze, Sam Brown, Ethan Johns, and Ray Davies & Stereophonics.

He is a hugely talented musician who joined the Paul Weller band for the Heliocentric Tour in 2000.

Chris is also part of Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra so we’ll talk studio work like the fabulous co-write I’m Gone - which Paul delivered lead vocals on, along with TV show Later and the Hootenanny and playing with Paul as part of that set up.

In between working with other artists, Christopher continues with his first passion of writing, recording and producing his own music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am delighted to be joined by Brass Musician and Arranger, Stewart Prosser on this 130th edition of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast for what was a hugely enjoyable chat.

Stewart is such a talent - a fabulous trumpet and flugelhorn player, and brass arranger, who played a key role in The Style Council's early years. He joined the band as an Honorary Councillor in 1984 for the Council Meeting Part 1 Tour, and stayed all the way up to the Wembley Showbiz gigs at the end of 1985.

Throughout his career, he has created music in a wide range of styles – jazz, classical, rock, pop and it was a delight to dig in to his memories. From his time as principal player of the Hampshire Youth Concert Band to the band Rye and The Quarter Boys and those special years with The Style Council.

He was a huge part of that live sound - together with Billy Chapman on sax and Chris Lawrence on trombone. Sadly Chris is no longer with us, but it was so nice to hear Stewart's memories of his friendship with Chris in out chat.

Stewart also played on studio recordings for the number one album Our Favourite Shop - performng trumpet on album opener Homebreakers and album closer Walls Come Tumbling Down, along with Flugelhorn on A Man of Great Promise. He also played trumpet on Big Boss Groove for the Groovin' single EP.

We also chat about his time touring with the band across the UK, Europe, Japan and Australia - friendships made, life on the road and how his live solo came about for Le Départ (see the video below!)

Stay tuned for a lovely exclusive on upcoming new music from Stewart and somebody else with a special connection to the band too!.

Plus we chat about his ongoing project Walk Upon England which was created with his friend, the composer Damian Montagu. Their first album, In A South Downs Way, created with their pal, the actor Hugh Bonneville, was released in 2016 and swiftly went to Number One on the Classical Album chart!

Listen out for a lovely story about a live performance of the album at a theatre in Chichester. It's a moment that tells so much about the magic of The Style Council experience.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Episode 129 of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by another absolute legend in the music industry - Photographer, Virginia Turbett.

The British rock music and social reportage photographer is best known for her photographs of bands, fans and street culture as she captured the music, the fans and fashion of the punk, heavy metal, mod, new romantic, reggae, 2-tone and electro pop scenes in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s.

Her first photo assignment was the Sex Pistols shooting their Pretty Vacant video. She spent the next ten years photographing for Sounds, Smash Hits, The Face and ID magazines.

Her work took her to the USA and Europe photographing for features on hundreds of bands and solo artists including The Jam, The Clash, Blondie, Iggy Pop, Prince, U2, Andy Warhol, Frank Zappa, Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, Madness, David Bowie and Duran Duran.

Virginia also has a huge archive of social reportage work. She photographed people from many walks of life often in areas of the country suffering deprivation, unemployment and the impending end of industries that had sustained their communities eg. the closure of shipyards on the Clyde and the final days of Billingsgate Market. She covered many political events including Rock Against Racism, Anti Nazi League, Right to Work, demonstrations, marches, and conferences.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on Episode 128 of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast is Terry Edwards.

A musician who has largely been in the studio, on the radio or onstage somewhere in the world since the age of 20. Terry sings and plays an array of musical instruments - sax, trumpet, guitar, keyboards, flute - with a myriad of artists including PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Billy Bragg, Jesus & Mary Chain, Madness, Franz Ferdinand, Jerry Dammers, Gallon Drunk, Ronnie Spector, Spiritualized and many more...

When it comes to our podcast subject - Paul Weller - Terry was called upon to play on the 2010 solo album Wake Up The Nation.

He's a founding member of The Higsons, the punk funk band who were signed to Jerry Dammers' label 2-Tone and has subsequently performed and released records as a solo artist (with and without his band The Scapegoats) and as a session musician.

He is also a member of The Near Jazz Experience with Madness bassist Mark Bedford & former Higsons drummer Simon Charterton.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a way to kick off our podcasts for 2023 !

Another world exclusive as Bill Wheeler - Paul Weller's Tour Manager joins us to share his story...

First credited as part of the set up around the time of 22 Dreams - Bill is the son of the legend that is Kenny Wheeler.

We'll hear how he first got involved in the Weller set up via merch to itineraries and taking on a bigger role in the set up, touring the UK, Europe, North America, Japan & Australia in his time with PW.

We'll also hear how he got to play on some recordings with Paul Weller with more info below.

It's a real honour to have Bill on the podcast so I hope you enjoy our chat.

Please do share on social media to spread the word...

Find out more at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com/episode-127-bill-wheeler

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear the incredible story of another absolute legend - the multi-award-winning music photographer - Jill Furmanovsky.

We kick off her story in 1965, as she emigrated from Zimbabwe with her parents to England, on to studying graphic design and starting her career in 1972, when she became in-house photographer at the Rainbow Theatre specialising in live rock concerts.Over the last fifty years she has photographed some of the greatest musicians in the world including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Madness, Debbie Harry, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Bob Dylan, Joy Division, Queen, Tom Waits, Chrissie Hynde, The Clash, Bjork and Amy Winehouse...

And of course - The Jam, capturing many incredible shots from their live gigs, along with Paul Weller for The Face Magazine and at Glastonbury Festival as other examples...

We also hear about RockArchive.com - an incredible online home for music photography, that Jill founded in 1998, which features over 1000 images by more than 80 photographers and graphic designers from all over the world.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a real honour to be joined by Ocean Colour Scene frontman, singer & songwriter - Simon Fowler - for this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast...

Since the group formed in 1989, they have released eleven studio albums including the million-selling Moseley Shoals and the number one Marchin’ Already. Their run of twenty successive Top 20 singles includes the era-defining ‘The Riverboat Song’, ‘The Circle’ ‘The Day We Caught The Train’ and ‘Hundred Mile High City’ (as featured in the film Lock Stock & Two Shooting Barrels). 

The band and Paul Weller have had so many connections over the years - playing on each other's records, hanging out, music videos and TV promo appearances, playing live together and on supporting slots - not least with Steve Cradock and Damon Minchella joining Paul's band for such long periods too (Steve has been with Paul for around 30 years now!).

Check out my chat with Simon and ordered his new book - The life & lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene at ourfavourite.shop

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a delight to be joined by another huge talent - the Singer, Songwriter & Musician, Edgar Jones for this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast... Also known as Edgar 'Summertyme' Jones, his musical path began in the early 90s, as frontman and founder of Liverpool band The Stairs, championed by the likes of Elvis Costello and signed to Go! Discs, then also the home of future collaborators Paul Weller and The La’s.

His other bands include The Isrites, The Big Kids, Edgar Jones & The Joneses and Free Peace. His 2005 solo album Soothing Music For Stray Cats was released to critical acclaim with Noel Gallagher commenting "It bent my head, man. It’s probably one of the best records I have ever heard" and Mojo Magazine labelling it "A stunning collection of rock’n’roll, jazz, R&B and doo wop".Edgar has also played and toured with artists including Ian McCulloch, Saint Etienne and Ocean Colour Scene and of course, our podcast subject - Paul Weller.Edgar joined the Weller band to play bass for the Heliocentric tour in 2000 - including a very special performance at London's Royal Albert Hall - which featured Steve White and Steve Cradock, along with Edgar on bass and Chris Holland on keyboards. Legendary arranger, Robert Kirby also conducted a stunning 16-piece string orchestra, which accompanied the band on most songs. The performance was released as a 90-minute filmed performance on DVD.Edgar was also part of the band for the Jools Holland Lennon Special and a recording for The Who Tribute album...

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by another hugely successful musician - Steve Sidelnyk. A man whose Honorary Councillor status led him to work with some of the world's biggest music stars.A drummer, percussionist, programmer and producer who has created music and / or played live with the likes of Madonna, Robbie Williams, Kylie, Dido, The Blow Monkeys, Richard Ashcroft, R.E.M., Seal, The Rolling Stones, David Gray, Tina Turner, The Family Silver and Stone Foundation… not a bad list right?.

We hear about his Ukrainian heritage to joining Tracie Young’s Soul Squad and playing with The Style Council on tour, on record, at Live Aid and around the world…And that incredible music career CV too!

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve followed the music of Paul Weller as a solo artist over the past 30 years then the odds are pretty high that you will have also experienced and enjoyed the photography of my latest podcast guest, Lawrence Watson.Their working relationship started in 1988, with a chance opportunity for Lawrence to photograph The Style Council. Paul was impressed with his photography, so much so that the work was used for the Confessions of a Pop Group album cover.Some of the most iconic imagery of Paul's solo career comes via Lawrence - live shots inside the debut album - that unmistakable cover for the Wild Wood album... or Modern Classics or Heliocentric or As Is Now... and so much more...In fact, 800 images were selected for their book Into Tomorrow in 2015, which gives you an idea of how much access Lawrence has had over the years.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast on my website and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear the story of a man known on your Style Council sleeve notes as Jezar - who's actually Jeremy Murray-Wakefield.

From a random beginning, meeting John Weller and joining Solid Bond Studios in 1984 as a junior assistant for Peter Wilson to keyboard sequencing on Our Favourite Shop through to his promotion to Chief Engineer for elements of The Cost of Loving and on the Confessions of a Pop Group album.

We hear the studio secrets of Solid Bond from the original analogue equipment to the transformation to digital, heaps of creativity and trying new things, experimentation and the creation of those songs that we know and love.We hear about Jezar's "epic fail" and something that effected the course of his life in many ways and his switch of career after TSC - following some advice from John Weller - and how the vast majority of this life since has been focused on the usability of technology.

Please share on your social media channels, leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This bonus episode of the podcast comes on album release day for Paul Weller's Will of the People boxset. A follow up to 2003's 'Fly On the Wall' and takes the listener through a similar mix of rarities, this time spanning the period 2002 to 2021. Like its predecessor not only does it make for some great listening but it's a superb way to hear all those hard to get solo tracks that haven't been featured on an album before.

This collection has been compiled by Paul Weller himself and Paul has provided artwork ideas and sketches for the design. Alongside this Paul has written track-by-track sleeve notes.

The release includes additional sleeve notes from writer and broadcaster John Wilson who is my special guest on this bonus edition of the podcast...We also hear about the upcoming Sir Peter Blake Celebration at London's Royal Festival Hall, curated by Paul and compered by John which has just been announced for 3rd December 2022.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a huge honour to be able to bring you this podcast chat as I’m joined by The Jam legend, Bruce Foxton.

A man whose bass lines, and style of playing, are amongst some of the most recognisable on the planet. Often identifiable after just a few notes.

Down at the Tube Station at Midnight, In The Crowd, The Eton Rifles, Funeral Pyre, Pretty Green, Going Underground... I could easily go on...We hear how he joined the band - a line up of Paul Weller, Rick Buckler and Steve Brookes in 1974 and his viewpoint on the band's incredible journey through live gigs and studio recordings to their huge success and, quite rightly, a whole heap of moments that he is massively proud of.

We also get the story of the band's split in 1982 from his point of view and the subsequent recording and release of his first solo album - Touch Sensitive - in 1984.

I was lucky enough to be in the audience when Bruce joined Paul Weller’s solo show in 2010 for a very special night at London’s Royal Albert Hall so hearing the story of the reconnection of their friendship after so many years of no communication was fascinating.We also chat about From The Jam and the new Bruce Foxton and Russell Hastings album The Butterfly Effect which is set for release on Friday October 28th. You can order at foxtonandhastings.tmstor.es

Please share on your social media channels, leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a chat full of wonderful memories and curveballs that I know you’re going to love, as I’m joined former political editor of The Sunday Times - David Cracknell.

David is not only a huge Paul Weller fan who has been inspired by our podcast subject for so much of his life but he’s also taken Dee C Lee to Prime Minster Questions and here’s the thing - he played piano on a single by Gabrielle and Paul Weller called Why.

The story of which we will discover in our chat.

Please share on your social media channels, leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, my special guest is the multi-award-winning British songwriter and musician, Paul Barry. Paul formed his first band The Questions whilst at high school in Edinburgh in the summer of 1977 and a few years later, the band were supporting The Jam and signing to Paul Weller's Respond Record Label before hitting the road with their own shows and as part of the live Respond and Style Council shows.Whist the band didn't enjoy Top 40 success - they did sell tens of thousands of records and were hugely popular with live audiences too. Paul co-wrote (with John Robinson) The House That Jack Built which was a Top 10 single for Tracie Young.

Over the past 30 years as a songwriter, Paul has had huge success with smash-hit singles for Cher, Enrique Iglesias and James Bay. He's also written for and with the likes of Celine Dion, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Lionel Richie, Mica Paris, Ricky Martin and James Morrison (and exclusive reveal of a Paul Weller link in our chat!).Find out more info in the shownotes for this podcast at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-116-paul-barry

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I’m joined by another absolute legend of the music industry - this fella has undoubtedly been one of the best TV and Radio pluggers in the business - Nigel “Spanner” Sweeney.We're talking U2, Rolling Stones, Simply Red, The Cure, Depeche Mode, UB40, Erasure, Robert Palmer, Bros, East 17, Jamiroquai, Elvis Costello, Janet Jackson, George Michael, Massive Attack, Kylie Minogue, Aerosmith, M People, Neneh Cherry, Kenny Thomas, Liza Minelli, Fun Boy 3, Nine Inch Nails, Shane McGowan / Johnny Depp, Robert Miles, Terry Hall, Dave Stewart, Tom Jones, Louise Redknapp, Malcolm McClaren, Spandau Ballet, S’Express, Bomb The Bass, Innocence, Garth Brookes, Will Young, Gareth Gates, Five and Betty Boo. Whilst with Arista there was also Prince, Santana, Puff Daddy, TLC, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Usher and Annie Lennox...A pretty incredible list right?! We should also call out PR for The Brits, all the Comic Relief singles and the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert in 1988.We dig in to some great stories of his career including times starting out with the likes of Clive Banks and Gary Crowley, to plugging for The Jam and The Style Council along with a lovely connection for the comeback single Into Tomorrow with Paul Weller Solo…We also chat about Live Aid and Do They Know It's Christmas with involvement from Paul.And so much more...

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When I first started this podcast, I created a wish-list of potential guests. You would too right?.It's fair to say that Billy Bragg was one of those early entries in my notebook.A musician, author, broadcaster and left-wing activist who fronted the 1980s Red Wedge movement with, among others, Paul Weller. He'a also pretty active as a gigging musician, touring the world, and so tying him down to a recording was always going to be pretty tricky.Here's the other thing that I should mention... On the release of this podcast, Billy is actually the only guest to come on who I have actually interviewed in my former life as a radio presenter. It was one of my absolute career highlights when working at the BBC in the late nineties.He's a hugely talented singer and songwriter.To Have and To Have Not, The Milkman of Human Kindness, Levi Stubbs' Tears, Sexuality, A New England, You Woke Up My Neighbourhood, Between The Wars, We Laughed... I could go on... Billy continues to surprise and delight with his music, to my ears he never seems to repeat himself and much like Paul, is looking to try new things and push himself into new ways of working and creating music.We kick off our chat with his love of The Jam and the influence the band and Paul's lyrics had him as a young man.You'll hear about supporting The Style Council on an early Council Meeting tour to the Red Wedge project where you'll hear there is nothing but warmth and gratitude for Paul's input and collaboration throughout.We'll also chat about connections from the solo years from Go Discs label mates in the nineties to Jools Holland Later TV around A Kind Revolution for Paul and Billy's book Roots, Radicals and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World.Most of all throughout our hour-long conversation, you'll hear a man who respects Paul - as a fellow singer / songwriter - as an innovator and as a huge musical talent with an incredible work ethic, vision and back catalogue.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast at Paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-114-billy-bragg

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From growing up in Long Island, USA to picking up the sticks aged 4 to guesting with the Mercer Ellington orchestra at just 13 years old, to playing with Chuck Berry and then coming to London in the 1980s - it's fair to say that Jo Ruocco has had a pretty incredible journey in life.Her connection with Paul Weller kicks in with the final stages of The Style Council's 4th studio album Confessions of a Pop Group. At the time, Steve White had just left the band for The Jazz Renegades and Steve Sidelnyk had moved stateside (more on his incredible story in a future podcast...) - cut to a memorable answerphone message for Little Jo from Paul...Recording shortly afterwards at Solid Bond, you can hear Jo on drums and percussion for How She Threw It All Away and on the album closer Confessions of a Pop Group.The release of the 1234 EP in 1988 led with How She Threw It All Away for promo, but was billed as 'A Summer Quartet' - You can also hear Jo as part of The Mixed Companions playing I Do Like To Be B-Side The A-Side (written by Mick Talbot) and on Love For The First Time.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast at Paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-113-little-jo-ruocco

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is the absolute legend that is Gered Mankowitz - he is the photographer who created the enduring and defining image of the rock star as we know it today.Inspired to take up photography by the comedian Peter Sellers, Gered opened his first studio in 1963. Finding himself at the centre of Swinging London, he soon established himself as one of the most prominent music photographers on the scene. His portfolio showcases striking and beautiful photographs from the 1960s to the 2000s, encompassing the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix , Small Faces, Marianne Faithfull, P.P. Arnold, Led Zeppelin, Eurythmics, Kate Bush, Oasis and many others. Check out his collection here.There are two links with Paul Weller. The photograph for the cover of The Jam's second album This Is The Modern World and a lovely shot for an advert for Vox Amps with The Style Council...

In 2016 Gered was awarded the distinction of a Fellowship of The Royal Photographic Society.Find out more about Gered at mankowitz.com and check out my show notes at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-112-gered-mankowitzIf you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is David Pottinger - a young Modernist from Middlesbrough and one of the fellas behind the brilliant Move on Up Blog. The website was created with his childhood best friend Graham Barber, with a desire to contribute to the scene and write about their passions of football, clothing and music.We chat about his love of The Jam and Paul Weller and his crazy Summer of 2015, and the events that led to a then-20-year-old-David getting to interview Paul Weller for the About The Young Idea TV Documentary!.

Find out more at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-111-david-pottinger

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A different kind of episode this week with The Jam drummer, Rick Buckler.This recording was taken from a Q&A event in August 2022 at St Peters, Brighton for the This is the Modern World exhibition...

Rick was one-third of the powerhouse sound of The Jam along with Paul Weller and Bruce Foxton. The band had 18 consecutive UK Top 40 singles from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1982, including four No 1 hits.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-110-rick-buckler-part2

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Pilgrim - drummer, singer & songwriter joins me on this episode of the podcast.

Another huge talent from the Paul Weller band.Paul is quoted as saying on Steve: "One of the great understated modern songsmiths. I love Pilgrims voice, his lyrics, his sense of melody. I hope people get to hear his music, it’s really something special”

Ex-The Stands, Cast, John Power and John Head, Steve joined the Paul Weller band in 2008 for the 22 Dreams tour ( following on from drumming legends Steve White and Rick Buckler when you think about it! - something that we discuss on the podcast).Steve has been a key fixture of the band ever since. Both live behind the kit - touring the world multiple times - and on record from Wake Up The Nation through to Fat Pop.As Andy Lewis said on the podcast, "Steve is a better singer-songwriter than he is a drummer, and he's a fantastic drummer..."Our podcast begins with a text from Paul Weller that was the only inspiration Steve Pilgrim needed to finish the writing of his much-anticipated sixth album ‘Beautiful Blue’...

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast with a very special Pilgrim Playlist at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-109-steve-pilgrim

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I chat to an incredible folk musician who is celebrating her 30th career anniversary in 2022. Eliza Carthy MBE is, without doubt, an innovator and leading light of England's folk scene - an amazing solo artist, band member, singer, songwriter and fiddle player.

Eliza rose to prominence in the mid-1990s both as a solo artist and a member of Waterson-Carthy, the group she formed with her parents, folk icons Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy (Martin himself played with Paul on the album True Meanings in 2018).

She has covered Paul Weller's Wild Wood for her LP Angels and Cigarettes, played with him on Studio 150 and with The Imagined Village and has performed live on stage with Paul for a BBC4 session - so plenty of lovely stories to hear on this one.

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-108-eliza-carthy

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast is Olly Ball, Photographer for The Style Council album cover Our Favourite Shop.It is the band's most commercial successful album and undoubtedly one of the best album covers in Paul''s 45 year career. An immediate commercial and critical success on release with a sleeve that so many fans spent hours, day and weeks figuring out, pouring over every little detail.

I would encourage you to grab your copy of the album as we take a walk through the making of the sleeve...If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by musician, bassist, bandleader and songwriter Yolanda Charles. As a professional bassist for 30 years, she has played with the likes of Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, Robbie Williams, Sinead O’Connor, Hans Zimmer, Squeeze, and of course, Paul Weller.We'll hear how a chance encounter via Jonathan Ross led to Yolanda joining the Paul Weller Band in 1993 for the Wild Wood tour (with recordings captured for Paul's first solo live album Live Wood - released in September 1994). She performed on the singles Hung Up, Out of the Sinking and You Do Something To Me and continued to play in the live band through the Stanley Road and Heavy Soul periods too.

In other Weller alumni connections, you can also hear Yolanda on the Talbot & White album - Off The Beaten Track, on Carleen Anderson's 1998 Weller produced LP, Blessed Burden and with Dee C. Lee on the single It's Not Over with Yolanda's band The Deep M.O.We hear about her musical journey throughout that time period, her latest band - Project PH and even on working with Hans Zimmer on the Dune Soundtrack - which won an Oscar, a Bafta and a Golden Globe for Original Score!

Yolanda was awarded an MBE for services to music in 2020.

Find out more on my website at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-106-yolanda-charles

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear the incredible story of Red Wedge from its co-founder, Annajoy David.

The podcast is packed full of tales of collaboration and a shared passion for fashion and politics that all kicked off with Paul Weller hearing a radio interview with Annajoy from a CND rally in the early 1980s.

Paul was inspired to reach out and a tight friendship and an incredible working relationship formed - leading to activity with The Jam and The Style Council and the creation of Red Wedge - an organisation dedicated to getting young people involved in politics through the popular arts.

Find out more on my website at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-105-annajoy-david

If you enjoy this episode of the podcast - please share on your social media channels - and leave a review and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Episode 104 of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by Guy Barker - a multi-award-winning composer, band leader and trumpet player who also happens to be one of the most in-demand arrangers in the world right now. As you'll hear during our chat, Guy has played with so many absolute legends including our podcast subject - Paul Weller via The Style Council.

In the 1980s, Guy played on TSC singles Money-Go-Round and The Lodgers, he was part of the live band in periods including the recording of the Showbiz concert film and the Home & Abroad LP. He also plays on the 1987 album The Cost of Loving (Fairy Tales and Walking The Night) and can be heard on The Style Council Live CD playing on A Stone's Throw Away, Soul Deep, Strength of your Nature, Move on Up and Down by the Seine.

Guy was also part of the line up for the infamous final gigs - in Japan and at London's Royal Albert Hall.Find out more in the show notes to this podcast at https://paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-104-guy-barker

Make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast further, you can buy me a virtual coffee or something from our range of official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest podcast guest is the first lady of London Soul, P.P. Arnold and what an honour it was to chat with Pat on the podcast. There have been so many 'pinch-me' moments on this audio journey - and this is right up there for me.

P.P. Arnold's story is that of a rich and varied life.

From her early musical origins in powerhouse church gospel, the talented singer's career began when she joined the Ike & Tina Turner Revue at the age of just seventeen. But little did the young Ikette know how much her world was about to be turned upside-down... Upon arriving in London in 1966 to support the Rolling Stones, the shy but vivacious nineteen-year-old caught the eye of frontman Mick Jagger. He would persuade her to stay in the city and record as a solo artist, ultimately leading to a five-decade career working with everyone from Jagger, Rod Stewart, the Small Faces, Eric Clapton and Nick Drake to Barry Gibb, Peter Gabriel, Roger Waters, the KLF, Primal Scream, Ocean Colour Scene and Paul Weller...We'll hear all about her incredible career, her autobiography Soul Survivor, that has just been published, and how she came to create music with Paul Weller for his album A Kind Revolution (on the majestic Woo Se Mama), along with tracks for her most recent album, The New Adventures of... her first LP of new material in 51 years... which was produced, engineered and arranged by Steve Cradock.

Find out more with links to music and videos in the show notes for this podcast at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-103-pp-arnold

Make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast further, you can buy me a virtual coffee or something from our range of official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Episode 102 of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by journalist, editor and broadcaster Claire Mahoney - an active member and influential promoter of the Mod scene with a passion for music, fashion, art and culture.We'll hear all about her teenage discovery of The Jam, and a love affair that has lasted a lifetime.Claire has written extensively about the mod scene and made regular appearances on BBC Radio Wales to speak about The Jam, Paul Weller, Mod and 60s soul music.We'll hear more about her latest project Detail Magazine - a print publication dedicated to offering a more in-depth look at the UK’s most stylish subculture – Mod and her book Welsh Mod.

Make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past 55 years, musician Danny Thompson has been a bandleader, sideman, group member and composer. Best known as a double-bassist, he has worked with the very best including Richard Thompson, John Martyn and Nick Drake, along with great jazz men such as Humphrey Lyttelton and Tubby Hayes as well as Rod Stewart, Roy Orbison, and Kate Bush.In recent years, he has also played with our podcast subject - Paul Weller.

Danny played double bass on two tracks for 2004's Studio 150 album, cover versions of Tim Hardin's Don't Make Promises and the Sister Sledge classic Thinking of You and on 2018's True Meanings.

Danny played double bass on the track Come Along.

In 2016, he joined Paul on stage in Brighton in a supergroup including Paul with Robert Wyatt, Steve Pilgrim and Ben Gordelier.

The range of music that his performances have graced is hard to believe. Working with the many true"Greats" of Blues, Jazz, Folk , World and Popular music.

A founding member of influential folk-jazz group Pentangle from 1967-1973 (along with its subsequent reunions and re-versionings) - he has also had a critically acclaimed successful solo career - winning two lifetime achievement awards at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.Find more information on Danny , including our special playlist , at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-101-danny-thompsonMake sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So here we are - Episode 100 of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast - who would have thought it?Firstly - thanks to you for your support , your shares and your thoughts - its all helped to get us to number one on iTunes and to grow listeners to the podcast over the past 18 months.Thanks to my wife and family for letting me do this thing - evenings, weekends and holidays spent creating something I hope is truly unique and special to fans of Paul Weller.

To all the guests from past and future - it would be nothing without you - your honesty, warmth, stories and generosity is hugely appreciated.

And of course thanks to Paul Weller! For the music - the live gigs - the story arc of 50 years from the creation of The Jam with Steve Brookes to now - and here's hoping for some time with Paul in the future for what will undoubtably be an epic interview at some point in the future right ?

Episode 100 - takes us to Ripley - the Surrey village that is home to Paul’s studio Black Barn - and also home for Paul’s mum - Ann Weller.I always had Ann in mind as our centenary episode guest as was absolutely delighted to get a YES to my request - INCREDIBLE!Ann is not just Paul's mum - but she has been a key player in his story from The Jam to now - together with John, her dear late husband , Paul and Nicky’s father, who managed The Jam, The Style Council and Paul Solo for over 30 years, until his sad passing in 2009.This was an absolute honour to spend time with Ann chatting over a cuppa and scone and a very special chat…

I hope you enjoy - and thanks again for listening to our journey so far...

Make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Bangs has been a pioneering and inspirational figure in the British underground dance scene and helped to light up the burgeoning black music dance scene of the early eighties. Towards the end of the 80s, Chris really hit pay dirt as a musical trend-setter with the invention of Acid Jazz genre and as a producer and artist responsible for many early recordings on Eddie Piller's Acid Jazz label and Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud (producing Galliano's celebrated debut album). His talents were soon spotted outside of the acid jazz scene with Paul Weller utilising Chris' production skills on one of the stand out tracks from his debut solo album - Above The Clouds. The song is a favourite of so many fans, and Paul still features it on current tours.This liaison led to a partnership with Paul's former Style Council-er Mick Talbot as Yada Yada AKA SoundscapeUK - one of a whole range of projects marked by the Bangs stamp that have secured commercial and critical acclaim from the USA, Japan, Europe and Australia.Have a listen to our podcast chat with a surprise special guest popping up during our conversation too!

Find out more in the show notes for this podcast at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-99-chris-bangs

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1979, twelve-year-old Den Davis went to see The Jam play at Manchester Apollo and his world changed forever. As we hear on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, a few months later when Den started a Sunday morning paper round, he struck a deal with the shop to save every magazine and paper that mentioned The Jam, and Den would deliver the papers for free. It didn’t matter to Den if they were the cool music press like the NME and Melody Maker or the likes of Jackie and Look In. He wanted them all.So began the start of his journey to collecting anything and everything about the band fronted by Paul Weller, amassing the largest collection of vinyl and memorabilia in the world.We talk about that collection, and how he had to rebuild after the 1996 Manchester bombing, and hear all about The Jam: Cover Stars - Den's new and exclusive exhibition of original and iconic Magazine and Music Press covers from around the world that show The Jam throughout their amazing six-year career from 1977 to 1982. Den saw The Jam 39 times between then and end of December 1982 - the final tour, he first met the band in 1981, started The Jam Tapes Collection service in April 1982, saw The Style Council 52 times live and Paul Weller solo over 100 times!.Find out more in the show notes for this podcast at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-98-den-davis

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As much as I love talking to the musicians, the singers and the songwriters, the producers and engineers, the music industry promoters, tour managers, road crew, band members, journalists and others, who have worked and collaborated with Paul Weller, this podcast was always intended to be a voice for the fans to share their memories of The Jam, The Style Council and Paul Weller… So many of these fans are just great story-tellers with great stories to tell, able to paint a picture on what the man and his music has meant to them over the years. This is another one of those very special episodes - with a man who is a regular in the front row at Weller gigs, on the forums and at events.

My latest podcast guest is Shane Juson. We'll hear about his discovery of The Jam in 1979 - singles albums, live gigs, soundchecks, band meetings and more... We'll hear about his love of The Style Council and Paul Weller solo - from the early Movement gigs in 1990 and front-row adventures on every tour since (he's even got the t-shirts to prove it!).We'll also hear about some pretty wonderful and bizarre moments too.For example, watching Paul Weller's reactions at Black Barn, whilst listening to some of On Sunset on the day after the final recordings to having his photo taken by Paul next to the famous Stanley Road jukebox and being driven round the corner by Paul in his mini, for a tea and scone at The Nest with Charles Rees, Tom Van Heel & another superfan, Keiko Egawa…You can find photos that tie in to our conversation on my website, and join here for Shane's Facebook Group - Absolute Beginners The Jam.

Another very special episode. Have a listen - share on your social media channels - and leave a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts...

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a blast to be joined by singer, songwriter, musician Debsey Wykes on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast.In 1978, she formed the British post-punk pop-band Dolly Mixture with guitarist, Rachel Bor and drummer, Hester Smith.We'll hear about their journey from complete amateurs to John Peel sessions, to supporting The Jam in the Summer of 1980 and signing to Paul Weller's Respond Record label...They were part of the initial label line up with The Rimshots , The Questions and Tracie!Whilst on the label, they released two singles, Been Teen in 1981 and Everything and More in 1982 - both produced by Captain Sensible and Paul Gray from The Damned...We also hear how, in 1982, something rather odd happened as Captain Sensible unexpectedly had a huge summer feelgood hit with a cover of the South Pacific song, Happy Talk - which featured Dolly Mixture on backing vocals.Find more information , including a playlist of the music that we talked about at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-96-debsey-wykes

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I'm joined by Phil Veacock - best-known as the main arranger, musical director and tenor saxophonist of Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.Phil has multiple connections and credits with Paul Weller with arrangements and performances on every Weller album since 2017's A Kind Revolution, right through to 2021's number one LP, Fat Pop (Volume 1).They'd actually played together before then with Paul's multiple appearances on Jools Holland's TV Shows - Later... and Hootenanny. Plus in 2012, in honour of Sir Paul McCartney turning 70, Paul covered 'Birthday' by The Beatles and made it available to download for one day only - as you'll hear in our chat Phil played on that version of the song.And we shouldn't forget the stunning cover of September in the Rain for a Jools Holland album in the same year, for which Phil led on arrangements working closely with Paul Weller throughout.

A huge fan of soul music - Phil has worked with THE greatest names in the genre. Legends like: Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson, Al Green, Pops & Mavis Staples, Booker T, Candi Staton, Chaka Khan, George Benson, Solomon Burke, Barry White, Sam Moore, Edwin Starr and Eddie Floyd.

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicky Weller joins The Paul Weller Fan Podcast for a bonus episode to share the latest news regarding the This Is The Modern World exhibition in Brighton this Summer.

It promises to be the biggest ever collection of previously unseen The Jam & The Style Council memorabilia, launches in its spiritual home of Brighton on Saturday 30th July 2022 and runs through until Monday 31st August 2022.

Expect to witness the band's formative years in the 'Stanley Road room', including Paul's own school books and archive family photo's from the early years. Each room will include iconic items from each year of the band's career with the ultimate vinyl collections together with a mass of memorabilia and the band's instruments, including Paul's iconic Whaaam! guitar and stunning mod-wear flanked by customised Jam scooters.

Nicky Weller comments, "If you're a Jam fan there's every single thing you can possibly imagine, if you're not a fan it's still interesting as far as social history goes. If you're just a music fan it's just a noisy fun exhibition".

She continues, "I'm so excited that we will be taking “This Is The Modern World" to Brighton this year with the biggest collection of previously unseen The Jam & The Style Council memorabilia on show - just a stones throw from the last ever live gig at the Brighton centre in 1982".

Get your tickets at thisisthemodernworld.net

This Is The Modern World - the ultimate exhibition for The Jam & The Style Council memorabilia.

Produced by AGMP and sponsored by Visit Brighton.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm delighted to be joined by musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer - Rod Argent.In a career spanning more than 50 years, Rod is the keyboardist, founder and leader of the English rock band The Zombies.

Their second album Odessey and Oracle is often mentioned by Paul Weller as his all time favourite.Rod has had an incredible career - continuing to perform live and release new music with The Zombies - he was also once part of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band and has recorded with The Who, Chris Rea, Roger Daltrey, Paul Carrack and Andrew Lloyd Webber. He's also been producer for the likes of Gilbert O'Sullivan, Tanita Tikaram and Nanci Griffith.

In 2018, Paul Weller released his 14th solo album True Meanings, with Rod Argent contributing to two stand out tracks (on an album full of stand out tracks!) - he plays Hammond organ on The Soul Searchers and Mellotron & Piano on White Horses.

You can find more info on Rod's music in my show notes at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-92-rod-argent

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest podcast guest - Scottish singer and songwriter, Dot Allison made a welcome return to music in 2021, after taking some time out to raise a family, with the beautifully brilliant Heart-Shaped Scars - an album which included "Very special thanks" to a wide variety of people including our podcast subject matter - Paul Weller!

Her new album featured in Paul's list of favourites from 2021, and also has a few stunning string arrangements & conducting from Weller alumni (and Podcast Episode 57 guest) Hannah Peel, which is another lovely connection that we dig into during our chat.

Our podcast conversation hears how she first connected with Paul via a text out of the blue... "‘I’m with Bobby Gillespie. He’s given me your number. He says you’re good, do you fancy writing a song together?" and the collaboration that followed was a song called Love's Got Me Crazy - recorded at Black Barn Studio (Paul Weller HQ) for Dot's album Room 7½ in 2009. We also dive into her career, her return to music, we talk nature (and human destruction) and so much more...

You can find more info on Dot's music in my show notes at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-92-dot-allison

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) or our new official merchandise at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/store

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ernie McKone is a UK-based bass player, producer and tutor whose speciality is jazz, funk, Latin and soul. With so many connections to Paul Weller and the likes of Mick Talbot, Steve White, Carleen Anderson, Jacko Peake and Matt Deighton over the past 30 plus years - there are some great stories to dig into.In 1997, Ernie joined the Paul Weller live band - taking over from Yolanda Charles - and he toured Europe and the UK for a couple of years around the release of the album Heavy Soul.The Victoria Park gig of 1998 has been captured on film (YouTube link below) and the audio was released as a limited edition bonus Live Classics CD with Paul's first solo greatest hits - Modern Classics.More recently Ernie has remixed one of the many stand out tracks from the Paul Weller album Fat Pop - with October 2021 seeing the release of Glad Times (Soul Steppers) - Remixed by Boogie Back. He also did a stonking version of Stone Foundation's Deeper Love (which featured Paul on vocals) with a Late Night Jazz Funk Mix.

You can find more info in my show notes at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/episode-91-ernie-mckone

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Ernie’s track record also includes work with Sister Sledge, Galliano, Incognito, PUSH, Seal, Leon Ware, Reuben Wilson, Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Marlena Shaw, Urban Species, Reel People and Craig Charles Fantasy Funk Band.Ernie also runs Boogie Back Records - an underground label that releases jazz funk and street soul. Artists who have appeared on the label include Omar, The Valentine Brothers, Vivienne McKone (his sister who also played keys with The Style Council for a time), Max Beesley, Mica Paris and more...Ernie played with Galliano in the early nineties - performing on the brilliant albums In Pursuit of the 13th Note, A Joyful Noise unto the Creator and The Plot Thickens.In 1993, he played bass on the Talbot & White album - United States of Mind.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barrie Cadogan is not only one of the most talented and well-respected guitarists around, having played with Primal Scream, Johnny Marr, The The, Steve Mason, Texas and, of course, Paul Weller - he also fronts his own band - Little Barrie.

A classic British power trio in the lineage of Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Little Barrie started off as a solo guise for Barrie, using the nickname given to him aged 14 by a mate’s dad in Nottingham. 

The band first supported Paul Weller in 2002 - with gigs including the Birmingham NEC and Hyde Park's Route of Kings. He's played on 22 Dreams, Wake Up The Nation and True Meanings whilst also joining the Weller live line up on numerous occasions for gigs and radio sessions.

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve ‘Tufty’ Carver is my very special guest on this episode - recorded in front of a live audience at London's Cockpit Theatre.Woking born and bred, Steve has been friends with Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton, and Rick Buckler for over 45 years.

Known to everyone as Tufty - he calls himself ‘a friend, fan and eventually a "roadie" with The Jam’, and shares plenty of stories - from watching his mates going from playing gigs in Woking to Wembley, to the World.

To quote Tufty "I will never every say that is was nothing really. It was everything. Life changing moments!"

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience at London's Cockpit Theatre, my guest is the Legendary broadcaster, TV presenter, journalist, A&R man, promoter and DJ - Gary Crowley.We dig in to his love of The Jam as a teenager to the creation of his own fanzine, interviews with Paul and Mick for The Style Council to Capital, GLR & XFM studio sessions and plenty of stories from his 40 year long radio & TV career.

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear my exclusive chat with musician Andy Crofts from the Paul Weller Band just hours ahead of their support slot with Madness at London's Royal Albert Hall and days before they head out on tour across England & Scotland.We also chat about the beautiful abstract painting that he has created, in light of the crisis in Ukraine, and the auction to raise money for War Child.Entitled, The Resistance, the piece is painted on a 1.5m x 1m framed canvas using acrylic and draws on the Ukrainian flag as inspiration.Growing up as an only child in Northampton, Andy was drawn into his own imagination and has also been painting and creating art his whole life. Now, the musician has set up an online auction for ‘The Resistance’ and is encouraging art lovers who connect with the piece to throw their support behind it.All proceeds will go to War Child’s work with children affected by recent events in Ukraine.

Find out more at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/warchild-auction

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Paul Weller and his band heading out on their latest tour in a matter of days, it's a real delight to be joined by one of the current line up - singer-songwriter, musician & keys player for PW - Tom Van Heel.

Tom's entry into the crew is one of my favourite stories yet - what a magical experience he's had so far. We chat Saturns Pattern through to Fat Pop - live in the U.K., Europe, USA, Canada and Australia…

Find out more with links to songs and videos that Tom has played on - including his own band - Higher Peaks on my website www.paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 86 hears from legendary booking agent Martin Hopewell - a man who was a key part of the Weller set up for 28 years from The Jam in 1977 to The Style Council to Weller solo - right through to Studio 150.

From smaller boutique agency Cowbell through to World Service which became part of the mega super agency Primary Talent…

Listen for some amazing stories from the chaos of a punk festival in Paris to life on the road with gigs around the U.K. and Europe - to Japan and Australia - and a massive appreciation of Paul’s incredible work ethic.

We also hear about his huge love and appreciation for the Weller family and special memories of John Weller, Paul's dad and manager who sadly passed away in 2009.

Visit my website for more information at paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a sheer delight to welcome actor and musician, Max Beesley onto The Paul Weller Fan Podcast.What a talent! - piano, vibes, drums and percussion - song-writing - production - and a successful TV & movie acting career to boot!.

Even though he was just 18 at the time, Max played a key part in those early days of Paul's solo career with The Paul Weller Movement. He performed live as part of the band across the UK and Europe in 1990/91. Surely I'm not the only one who managed to wear out a VHS copy of the Brixton Academy show because I played it so often?!.I've posted a link to that gig below as it's so very special to me - amazing songs and performances all round. Funky as hell too!.It was recorded on 20th April 1991, a whole year before Paul's first solo album was released in Japan (18 months in the UK). The gig features Steve White on drums, Jacko Peake on saxophone and flute, Henry Thomas on bass and Max Beesley on keys and vibes.

Cast your mind back to 6th May 1991. The first solo single… Into Tomorrow was released - and Paul was back!.Recorded at Solid Bond in February, this absolute banger has Weller on vocals, bass, guitars and percussion. Steve White is on drums, Dr. Robert (The Blow Monkeys) on guitar (and BV) with Max on the organ. He also mentions on the podcast about recording Kosmos during that session too.

Next time you are digging in to your Weller albums - check out Wild Wood to hear Max performing extra vocals with Marco Nelson on Has My Fire Really Gone Out? and playing wurlitzer on Moon on Your Pyjamas (a song that Paul wrote for his eldest son, Nat).

As you'll hear during our chat, Max has been working with Paul again in recent years. We hear about a very special collaboration called Song for Sabrina on his own soon-to-be-released solo album - The Groove Spectrum, working with his old Guildhall mate (and previous podcast guest) Omar in Paul's studio for his new LP and even recording some late night grooves with Paul at Black Barn that will hopefully turn up in the future.

As a session musician, Max played, toured or recorded with the likes of Incognito, Jamiroquai, Robbie Williams, Omar, Brand New Heavies, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, The JB's and Zero7.

As an actor, he has starred in many hugely successful TV series - The History of Tom Jones, Bodies, Hotel Babylon, Mad Dogs, Jamestown and The Outsider. In 2022, you'll be able to see Max starring alongside Keeley Hawes in Sky TV sci-fi thriller The Midwich Cuckoos and in Guy Ritchie's new movie Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre with Hugh Grant, Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza and Josh Hartnett.Spoiler alert, you can also see Max on screen during the Paul Weller video On Sunset - with a little cameo appearance at the end on the promo film.

Visit my website for more links on all the things that we talk about at paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Episode 84 of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by singer, musician, activist & campaigner, Rhoda Dakar.

We hear how her career began as lead vocalist with all female 2Tone band, The Bodysnatchers in 1979 and kick off the podcast with a great Paul Weller connection through The Jam and Rhoda being banned from seeing them live in concert in the late 70s / early 80s!.

We hear about Red Wedge in the mid-eighties where Rhoda became Chair of the Steering Group, whilst making guest appearances on stage alongside the likes of Paul Weller, Billy Bragg, Dr, Robert, Lorna Gee, Junior Giscombe and The Communards.

Rhoda also reveals all about recording a brilliant EP of songs at Black Barn (PW HQ) in 2017 called The LoTek Four, Vol I.Heck, we even hear another angle on the famous 'Mick Talbot gets left at motorway service station' story!

Find more about Rhoda's music on Bandcamp here and live dates & tickets for Rhoda on tour here

Visit my website for more links on all the things that we talk about at paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest podcast guest is Tracie! AKA Tracie Young.The singer, 80s popstar, TV Presenter & Radio Broadcaster talks about 80s hairdos, The Jam, The Style Council, Respond Records, her solo career, touring and recording with Paul Weller along with the truth behind the second album that lay in the vaults for over 25 years.

Big thanks to Mr Cool's Dream - Iain Munn for his great book for help with the research too.

Visit my website for more links on all the things that we talk about at paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Omar is without doubt, one of the greatest soul music talents the UK has produced in the last 35 years. He's a genuinely unique artist, with a sound of his own that is so immediately identifiable, that you will know you are hearing an Omar track within seconds - the stamp of true originality.In this latest episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, we hear about his musical DNA, the special letters that now sit after his name (MBE FGS!), we talk about how it all began with his first single in 1985, Mr Postman (recorded when he was just 16 years old !) to an invite from Paul Weller to join The Style Council for shows in Japan and at the Royal Albert Hall, and the track that changed everything for Omar when re-released in 1990 - There's Nothing Like This.

We also hear about the making of his new album - including tracks created with Paul Weller at Black Barn Studio (music that’s going to make you want to buy a parka and a Vespa!).

Find my blog for more links on all the things that we talk about at paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is Roger Nowell, Head Roadie / Guitar Tech for Paul Weller, a man who has been part of the crew since 1999.

We talk about The Jam, playing with Paul on record, and travelling all over the world looking after his guitars and those live performances.

Incredibly, I joined Roger at Paul Weller HQ - Black Barn Studio in Surrey - at the end of their 2021 tour - a tour that came to an early close, due to Covid, back in December 2021.

You can also hear Roger in his own band Skeletal Family, who were one of the most influential groups of the eighties Gothic era, with a worldwide fan base spanning all ages and on Paul Weller releases playing Synth Bass on the WUTN track Andromeda and Bass on Sonik Kicks track Around the Lake.

Find my blog and links for all the things that we talk about at paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode I’m joined by the fabulous force of nature that is Nicole Nodland.

Not only was she personal photographer to global superstar - Prince - living at Paisley Park, touring the world with the band and documenting his life on photo and film - but her portfolio including icons such as Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, George Clinton and more recent artists such as Lana Del Ray, Sam Smith and Dua Lipa.

Nicole entered the world of Paul Weller around True Meanings, taking that super cool shot for the album cover and she worked with Paul through Other Aspects and On Sunset… we talk about that and of course the mega talent that was Prince…Her clients include Gucci, Vogue, Elle, Billboard, Virgin Records, Sony, Universal, and Warner Music to name a few.

Her photography has featured in the British Journal of Photography, Zoo and Graphics International.

Find my blog and links for all the things that we talk about on my website paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by another music industry legend Eddie Piller.Not only is he the Founder & MD of the magnificent Acid Jazz Records but he's also a Radio Presenter, Writer, DJ, Podcaster, Producer, Manager and Festival Curator.

A legendary figure in the Mod scene and beyond, he was also the man that Paul Weller turned to play records at his fiftieth birthday party!.

In this episode, we kick off the conversation with his discovery of punk and The Jam via chicken pox. Eddie would go on to see the band over 50 times live, following them all over the country and even overseas whilst still a teenager.

We'll hear about the mod explosion of the late 70s and 80s, interviews with Paul, a shared love of music, clothes and Mod and other connections over the years from the controversial King Truman Project, to a missed opportunity to bring him to his record label and how he secured the big one - that two part 2019 Modcast Interview with PW.

Find all the blogs and links for all the things that we talk about on my website paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I’m joined by Grammy Award winner, Singer, Songwriter, Producer - one of the pioneers of U.K. soul music - Junior Giscombe…

We dig in to some great Weller connections from The Council Collective single Soul Deep to Red Wedge to joining The Style Council at Wembley and his own impressive back catalogue. 

Find out more with links to videos, albums and the blog at www.paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Doyle is an acclaimed music journalist, author, and long-standing contributor to music magazines Mojo and Q. His work has also appeared in Billboard, The Guardian, The Times, and Sound on Sound. Over the years, he has been responsible for some great interviews with Paul Weller along with key magazine profiles of Paul McCartney, Elton John, Yoko Ono, Keith Richards, U2, Madonna, Kate Bush, and R.E.M., among many other artists.As part of White Label - he has collaborated with Paul on various special releases over the past 6 years.

We'll hear about remixes for tracks off the album's Saturns Pattern and A Kind Revolution along with co-writes for a song on each of the albums - True Meanings and Fat Pop (Volume 1).

Find out more at PaulWellerFanPodcast.comThanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Parry was, once, the drummer of New Zealand band The Fourmyula who went on to work for Polydor in the UK - going on to sign The Jam in February 1977.

Chris first saw the band on 22nd January 1977, where they supported Bearded Lady at The Marquee in London (after Shane MacGowan had told him to check them out!). The band were signed for a £6,000 advance and 6% royalty rate which initially covered only the group's first single, but Polydor quickly exercised an option to extend the contract to four years and four albums.

Chris has co-producer credits with Vic Smith on the first 2 albums along with the singles that came outside those album cycles - All around the World in 1977 and News of the World in 1978. For All Mod Cons - the 3rd Album - Chris had Associate Producer credits on To Be Someone (Didn't We Have A Nice Time), David Watts, It's Too Bad and 'A' Bomb in Wardour Street.

In 1978, he left The Jam set up to create and run his own record label - Fiction Records - and signed The Cure (after hearing a demos of ‘10.15 on Saturday Night’ and ‘Boys Don’t Cry’). He managed The Cure until 1988 and Fiction released their music until 2001, when he sold the label to Universal Records.

Another couple of nice Weller related connections - in 1984, Chris produced an album by Tim Pope - Director of multiple music videos for The Style Council and was also MD of Radio Station - XFM from 1992-1998 with an amazing line up including Steve Lamacq, Mary Anne Hobbs, Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant, Zane Lowe and Gary Crowley Session (Paul did a session on that show in 1997).

Find out more at PaulWellerFanPodcast.comThanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is Honorary Councillor - Barbara Snow - a widely respected and popular vocalist, trumpeter, pianist, composer and arranger, who has also established a significant reputation as an educator of some note. She now teaches the piano at Royal Russell School, Croydon.

Barbara played trumpet in the live band for the debut tour in October 1983 - small venues in Europe as warm ups prior to bringing it over to the UK - also playing trumpet on the single version of My Ever Changing Moods and on the Café Bleu LP for four tracks - Me Ship Came In, Dropping Bombs on the Whitehouse, A Gospel and Headstart for Happiness.

Barbara studied at the Royal Academy of Music, and has played in African, reggae and salsa bands; jazz and orchestral styles, and in between tours and recording has built up a teaching reputation with both piano and trumpet. She has devised a way to teach piano to very young children, which has been described as “revolutionary”.Find out more at PaulWellerFanPodcast.comThanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is Chris Bostock - a musician, songwriter and music producer, known for his work with JoBoxers, Subway Sect, Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys, The Style Council, Spear of Destiny, The X-Certs and The Stingrays. 

As a Honorary Councillor, he played on Café Bleu - the official debut album released by The Style Council - playing on Here’s One That Got Away and double bass on The Paris Match with Tracey Thorn on vocals.After 35 years off the scene - JoBoxers are back with plenty of live dates in 2022 - I've added all the info to my website PaulWellerFanPodcast.comThanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest podcast guest - Camelle Hinds was an Honorary Councillor from January 1985 - playing bass in The Style Council band on tour and on the LPs from Our Favourite Shop through to the final rejected Modernism LP.

We'll hear about special memories of that time - including Live Aid and the famous 3 nights at Wembley, with a 15 piece string section, that was captured on film for the Showbiz video. When Paul Weller returned as a solo artist, Camelle joined the live band - and also contributed to a couple of songs on the first LP with credits on Round & Round and Kosmos (Backing Vocals). He also played on the recording of All Year Round (Live) which was the B-Side to Above the Clouds.

Find out more about Camelle and his career at PaulWellerFanPodcast.comThanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest very special guest is Conor O Brien, otherwise known as the multi-award-winning singer-songwriter behind the band Villagers.

We dig in to a love of Paul's music (and vice-versa) along with collaborations over the years from US tour support to The Black Barn Sessions and writing together for True Meanings - and even their recent performance together at The Roundhouse in London.Villagers latest LP - Fever Dreams - is an amazing piece of work too - well worth checking out.

Find out more with links to the back catalogue, videos with Paul Weller and my blog about Villagers at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I know... I can't believe it either! Kenny Wheeler has joined The Paul Weller Fan Podcast. What an absolute honour.A man who has been part of the Weller team for over 40 years now. First credited on album sleeve notes with The Jam on the Sound Affects LP (Special thanks to Ken for playing pool) - Kenny has been a constant with Paul from 1978 with The Jam to The Style Council and Weller solo - moving to credits as Tour Manager & PA by Heavy Soul and continuing through to now with 2021's Fat Pop.Kenny has never been interviewed by anyone before - so it's a real honour to be able to feature some of his stories on this podcast series. We chat about the tours, the important of the fans, memorable gigs, travelling the world, the bands, the music business, friendships made, and of course - Paul and John Weller.

Find out more at paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest special guest is British Soul Singer / Legend - Steve Ellis.

As lead singer with the 1960’s chart-topping Mod-Soul outfit Love Affair, Steve’s vocals had the kind of powerhouse range that made you sit up and notice. We'll hear stories from across his career along with performances with Paul Weller, and their great friendship (Steve talks about Paul being like a Brother to him, Paul says 'He's my mate and I love him dearly") and how they came to create an album together called Boom Bang Twang! Released in 2018 - it was a mix of new songs and covers, recorded at Black Barn (Weller HQ) with guests and long-time friends including Paul (who also produced the album) along for the ride.

The album also has loads of lovely Weller connections - with band-members Andy Crofts, Ben Gordelier, Steve Pilgrim, Steve Cradock and Charles Rees (Black Barn Engineer) all playing on the LP.

Dive in to the podcast to hear all about it - and head to my new website at paulwellerfanpodcast.com to find out more, with links to the songs, videos and album that we talk about in the podcast.

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is the multi-award-winning writer and director, Sonja Phillips.

Based in London and Los Angeles, her work encompasses short drama, documentaries, as well as a variety of commercial and promo films, working on large and small screen, and covering a diverse range of subjects, from the natural world to fashion.

Back in 1995, with Paul Weller back at the top of the charts with the Stanley Road LP, Sonja directed two music videos that would go on to be amongst his most watched - You Do Something To Me and Broken Stones.

Find out more about Sonja and her work on my new website at paulwellerfanpodcast.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee (£3) at paulwellerfanpodcast.com/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was a massive thrill to record as I'm joined by Andy Crofts - a who has been part of the Paul Weller band since 2008!. Musician, singer-songwriter, photographer, he's got a weekly radio show, he's a record label boss, heck he's even made music videos for Paul and created an outstanding Weller film-documentary called One.

Andy is also the founding member of the fabulous indie-band The Moons who released their own fabulous album - Pocket Melodies - in 2020 too.

Back in September Andy announced that he would have to stay home this winter to care for his family rather than head out on tour with Paul and co.

MORE INFO

BOOK - Paul Weller: Photographs by Andy Crofts - thisdayinmusicbooks.com/product/paul-weller

PHOTOS - andycroftsphotography.com

COLORAMA RECORDS - www.coloramarecords.com/releases

ONE - PAUL WELLER - Documentary - On YouTube

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

https://ko-fi.com/paulwellerfanpodcast

Buy our official pin badge here - https://thisisnow.design/products/dsp_01-desperately-seeking-paul-enamel-pin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 66 hears from the fabulous David Lines - writer and creator of the brilliant book - Modfather - My Life with Paul Weller

When David first heard This is the Modern World by The Jam, it sparked off a love affair that continues to this day.

Paul Weller became the blueprint for David's life, and he followed his music and his style with the fervour of a truly devoted fan - to the bemusement of his long-suffering family.

In this episode, we hear stories behind the book's creation, including the Weller quote on the cover, along with his journey from The Jam to The Style Council to Paul Weller Solo and connections a plenty.

Order the book online here 

You can also discover more about Parasol - By David Lines and David Lawrie at parasolthealbum.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

https://ko-fi.com/paulwellerfanpodcast

Buy our official pin badge here - https://thisisnow.design/products/dsp_01-desperately-seeking-paul-enamel-pin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is Peter Wilson - Record Producer, Recording Engineer, Arranger, Tutor and Lecturer.

Pete has producer credits on plenty of songs towards the end of The Jam's career including Funeral Pyre, Absolute Beginners, Town Called Malice, Beat Surrender and their final album The Gift. He also arranged strings on The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow).

When Paul Weller split the band and created The Style Council , it was Pete who worked with them on the early singles + À Paris EP and the first two albums - Café Bleu and Our Favourite Shop.

Pete has also been responsible for pulling together live albums including Dig the New Breed and Live Jam.

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

https://ko-fi.com/paulwellerfanpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest in this episode is the world-class musician, griot (praise singer), composer, djembe master, virtuoso and pioneer -  Seckou Keita - he's a rarity, seated in tradition whilst constantly pushing the boundaries of his art.

A true master of the kora - a 22 stringed West African harp - Seckou, from Southern Senegal, was a childhood prodigy, born of a line of griots and kings.

Seckou has graced the international stage since 1996, earning worldwide acclaim for his kora playing and appearing with a host of fellow artists including Paul Weller, Salif Keita, Damon Alban, Youssou N’Dour, Miriam Makeba and Neil Finn.

It was whilst performing as part of the Africa Express Presents The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians in 2016, that he met Paul for the first time - playing a sensational version of Wild Wood as part of the concerts.

In 2019, he won 'Musician of the Year' at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards - whilst also picking up the award for 'Best Duo/Band' with Catrin Finch.

November 2020 saw the release of the On Sunset Remixes EP - with Seckou's beautiful remix of Rockets featuring as one of the 5 tracks.

Seckou Keita has arguably become the most influential and inspiring Kora player of his generation, an exceptional and charismatic musician - find out more about his amazing music & collaborations at seckoukeita.com

LINKS

Seckou Keita with Paul Weller on Wild Wood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb9VKNe7o_U&ab_channel=AfricaExpress

Seckou Keita / Paul Weller - Rockets Remix - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yS41iAH2xg&ab_channel=paulwellertv

Find out more about Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita here and dive in to his new album Suba recorded during lockdown with Omar Sosa, one of Cuba's most prolific jazz pianists and the astounding percussionist Gustavo Ovalles.

You can also see Africa in the Lounge featuring Seckou Keita here

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

https://ko-fi.com/paulwellerfanpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I am joined by Broadcaster & Journalist - John Wilson

It's amazing to hear so many passionate stories of his love of The Jam (thanks Aunt Liz!) - it's an out-pouring of emotions, memories and envy inducing tales from a master story-teller!

As one of the regular presenters of Front Row - the Radio 4 arts programme, John specialised in music-related interviews for the programme with the likes of Ray Davies, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Elton John and Kate Bush - whilst also interviewing Paul Weller on many occasions on the show.

In 2007, he worked with Paul to create the book Suburban 100 - which saw Paul share his reflections on his lyrics, offering candid insights to his writing process and the inspiration behind some of pop music's best loved songs. 

In 2012 - Paul Weller guested on his Radio 4 Music Programme Mastertapes - discussing a career-defining album in front of a live audience (Paul selected The Gift) which also featured a previous podcast guest (Teenage Waitress - Daniel J Ash)

In recent years, Paul has been a guest on John's 'These Three Songs' Podcast and John has returned the favour by interviewing him for the Making of True Meanings Documentary.

LINKS

This Cultural Life - Radio 4 - with John Wilson

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0010fl4

Paul Weller - Radio 4 - MasterTapes with John Wilson

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ntfw1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nxh35

These Three Songs Podcast - Paul Weller

https://shows.acast.com/thesethree/episodes/paulweller

John Wilson with Paul Weller - The Jam Exhibition 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02vmtkr

True Meanings - In Conversation with John Wilson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY06Ic-xZTE

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

https://ko-fi.com/paulwellerfanpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is life-long Weller fan Jon Abnett. Known as Mr Jam - he has contributed to the band's boxset releases and designed for some great band related books over the years including Thick As Thieves, In The Crowd and The Jam Unseen.

His new book is From the Floorboards Up! A unique fans’ perspective photographic book following the icon that is Paul Weller.

All the photos in this new book are from live events in the UK and overseas, taken from 1990 to 2019. Containing many unseen shots all taken by the fans! It’s a very unique book, with narrative by Pat Gilbert (MOJO), interviews with fans and reflections from some bands lucky enough to have supported Paul on tour during those 30 years.

You can order at https://thisdayinmusicbooks.com/product/from-the-floorboards-up/

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

https://ko-fi.com/paulwellerfanpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we hear from Neil 'Twink' Tinnings.

Commissioned by The Jam to be their official photographer in 1981, he not only captured them on stage, but also their life out of the public eye.

To quote the band "Twink was the ideal photographer for The Jam. For him, it was more than just a job. His passion for the music and the whole vibe of that period made for a perfect working relationship. We knew him, he was easy to get along with and, importantly for us, Twink knew exactly what to look for. When we needed a photographer to come on the road with us – someone who could ‘access all areas’ and take candid fly-on-the-wall shots – we had no doubt that he was our man.

Twink’s photographs appeared on the cover of The Jam’s platinum-selling final studio album The Gift.

After photographing the band for press and promotional activity in their final, most successful year, Twink put his camera down for two decades.

A sufferer of bi-polar disorder, Twink’s main occupation later in life has been as an ambassador for mental health awareness in the press and media, using his photography to de-stigmatise mental health issues. 

You can watch his film - One Last Saloon - here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbA5T9z2PEg

And more about The Wellcome Trust here - https://wellcome.org/

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Declan O'Rourke has been a favourite of mine since hearing a recommendation from Paul Weller for the song Galileo (Someone Like You) and the debut album, Since Kyabram back in 2004.

In our chat, we dig in to some incredible stories behind his songs and process from the move to Australia as a young man to his return to Ireland aged 24 and how he landed in the middle of a fiercely creative music scene in Dublin that was the fertile breeding ground for the likes of Glen Hansard/The Frames, Paddy Casey, Gemma Hayes, Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan, and many more.

It was a real highlight to also properly chat about his magical new LP - Arrivals - which was released in April 2021.

The most emotionally raw and affecting album of his career, was recorded over six days at Paul Weller's HQ - Black Barn studios in Surrey, with Weller producing (‘he was there every moment, before, during and long after, discussing ideas about this and that, even down to the artwork. It was hugely impressive…’).

The sound is stripped back to Declan’s soulful and resonant voice, the virtuosic acoustic guitar playing for which he’s renowned and only the occasional sparse arrangement of strings and late-night drums bringing colour and light to the LP’s 10 songs. Paul also adds his multi-instrumental abilities to the recordings, including a beautiful piano accompaniment to the closing track.

Find out more about Declan - including tour dates, LP releases, newsletter sign up and his first novel - The Pawn Brokers Reward on his website declanorourke.com

Enjoy the podcast - share it on social media - and then dive in to his sensational back-catalogue.

2004 - Since Kyabram2007 - Big Bad Beautiful World2011 - Mag Pai Zai2015 - Gold Bars in the Sun2016 - In Full Colour 2017 - Chronicles of the Great Irish Famine 2021 - Arrivals

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I am joined by three Paul Weller Super-fans - collectively known as The Jam Tarts.

Jane Griffiths, Jackie Pearce and Rachel Phillips (AKA Lady P) have a shared love of Paul's music and plenty of stories to tell from their discovery of the songs, to live performance, band meetings, Weller family connections and social media madness!

You'll find them hanging out in the Weller of Woking Facebook Group here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/924166814731259

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is journalist and author Dylan Jones OBE who served as editor of the UK version of men's fashion and lifestyle magazine GQ from 1999-2021 - interviewing Paul Weller on many occasions.

He created the annual GQ Men of the Year awards - which Paul won in 2018 and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to the publishing and British fashion industries.

As Chairman of the British Fashion Council for menswear he's spearheae the launch of 

Dylan has written many books including  The Eighties: One Day, One Decade, which charts the story of the Eighties through Live Aid in 1985 - along with his 2021 publication "Shiny and New - Ten Moments of Pop Genius that Defined the '80s"

MORE CONTENT

In Conversation With Paul Weller - A brand new three-part podcast exploring life, music, fashion, politics & more - featuring GQ editor Dylan Jones.

Paul Weller in conversation with Mary McCartney by Dylan Jones

Paul Weller - Sunspel Interview by Dylan Jones

Paul Weller - 2020 Interview by Dylan Jones

Paul Weller - Royal Festival Hall Review - by Dylan Jones

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My special guest this week is Hannah Peel - composer, artist, musician, arranger, producer, late night broadcaster and synth-pop pioneer!

Not only is her own work an inspiring and ambitious blend of projects that will blow your musical mind but she also added her orchestration skills to Paul Weller's incredible recent albums True Meanings, On Sunset and Fat Pop.

PLUS who can forget those incredible two gigs at Royal Festival Hall in 2018 that turned into the magnificent Other Aspects Live album? WOW!

Find Hannah Peel's website at hannahpeel.com and her back catalogue to buy here 

The Unfolding - Hannah Peel and Paraorchestra with Charles Hazlewood in Bristol on 1st October - tickets available - limited availability - here

You can also listen on Spotify

• 2011: The Broken Wave
• 2016: Awake but Always Dreaming
• 2017: Mary Casio: Journey to Cassiopeia
• 2018: Particles in Space
• 2019: Chalk Hill Blue
• 2019: Game Of Thrones: The Last Watch
• 2020: The Deceived
• 2021: Fir Wave

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest special guest is the multi talented flutist and Sax player Jacko Peake.

Dive in for stories of a love of The Jam to playing with Paul in the final days of The Style Council and the early 90s with The Paul Weller Movement to that incredible first solo album through to Wild Wood and playing live at various points over the years since then with Studio 150 and As Is Now.

It was a lovely surprise to see Jacko back with the band for 2020's MID-SOMMER MUSIK - so we'll hear how that came about too!

Listen to the podcast and then put on that swirling sax solo from Above The Clouds or the flute on Sunflower through to the beautiful sax & flute of Testify and Still Glides The Stream from 2021 LP - Fat Pop!

Man oh Man - What a player!

Watch Paul Weller - That Pleasure - Sunday Sessions here

Watch Paul Weller - In Better Times with Jacko Peake and Josh McClorey here

Studio 150 Live here

Paul Weller Movement here

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My special guest in this episode is musician / singer-songwriter Sam Brown!

Sam has enjoyed huge international success as a solo artist since crashing the Top 10 with her song 'Stop' in the late 80s.  She's worked with some of the world's biggest music stars including Deep Purple, Gary Moore, George Harrison, Small Faces, Nick Cave and Tina Turner.

Sam performed with Paul Weller at the Ronnie Lane: One for the Road Memorial Concert in 2001 and sang on his Studio 150 LP in 2004 and with Jools & Paul on the recording of Will It Go Round in Circles.

In July 2006 Sam started to experience problems with her voice and her music career veered off in a completely different direction. Sam now teaches ukulele. She has over 150 pupils and teaches in Oxfordshire, under the Umbrella name of The Fabulous Ukulele Club.

Links to Songs

Jools & Sam with Paul Weller on Will It Go Round in Circles - Link Here

Paul Weller - Studio 150 - Sam sings on All Along The Watchtower and Birds - Link here 

Ronnie Lane Memorial Concert - The Poacher - Ooh La La - Spiritual Babe

You can also find links to Sam Brown on Spotify here and Homespun here

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is author Shaun Hand - the man behind the book - Pop Arts Poems - The Music of The Jam

We learn about a lifetime's love affair with the band - kicking off in his teens in 1991 via their Greatest Hits LP.

We take a trip through their albums as Shaun shares memories of tracing their evolution song-by-song - from pre-Polydor compositions to the classics that we know and love.

Along the way we discover more about one of the most important bands of their time.

Find out more - along with the link to the Weller Jukebox - at shaunpatrickhand.wordpress.com

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is Steve Brookes - co-founder of The Jam with his childhood best mate Paul Weller.

We talk about those early days of The Jam - writing songs, recording demos and gigging around Surrey.

We find out why he left the band in September 1975 and took a long break from music and performing before his return in 2008.

We chat about Steve's approach to music, his friendship with Paul and their work together in recent years.

You can hear Steve playing on Paul's albums - 22 Dreams, Wake Up the Nation, Saturns Pattern, Jawbone, True Meanings, On Sunset and Fat Pop (Volume 1) so dive back in to those to spot his work!

Order the new Steve Brookes CD - Tread Gently - which features Paul Weller & Ben Gordelier here

2017's Voodoo Zoo - here

2014's Vintage Troubadour - here

The Ballad of Jimmy McCabe LIVE with Paul Weller and Steve Brookes on YouTube here

Plus Steve's Channel on YouTube

Thanks for listening - make sure that you subscribe / follow and leave a review - and if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is film-maker Chris Green - writer and director of The Pebble and the Boy.

Inspired by the Paul Weller album track, the film will be released in cinemas nationwide from Friday August 27, and available On Demand later in the year.

The story of a boy, his Dad's ashes, a Lambretta scooter and a journey from Manchester to Brighton, the spiritual home of the Mods.

The film features tracks from Paul Weller, The Jam, The Style Council, Secret Affair and The Chords - along with a nice surprise from our previous guest Aziz Ibrahim!

Chris lives and breathes everything Mod – and that really shows - from the music, the fashion and the scooters.

Watch The Pebble and the Boy Trailer

Find out more about the film , including cinema listings on the Facebook page

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest Aziz Ibrahim is another true delight - a creator of sound scapes, visionary sounds and guitar magic like very few people on this planet.

Founder of the ‘Desi GuitR’ & the ‘Asian Blues’ - Aziz is known for his role & work as lead guitarist for Simply Red, The Stone Roses and several internationally acclaimed bands and artists including Ian Brown, Paul Weller, Steven Wilson, Asia, Rebel MC & Errol Brown (Hot Chocolate). 

Aziz tells stories of meeting with Paul, forming a magical bond with him + Steve's White and Cradock, Mick Talbot and tales of creating fabulous music together.

We hear about his solo work, which includes the lost LP Lahore To Longsight‘ and the EP ‘Middle Road‘ which both feature contributions from Paul Weller.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

To hear Aziz & Paul's Collaborations check out the links below...

Aziz Ibrahim Website

Middle Road - Lahore to Longsight

Helioscentric - (B-Side to 'He's The Keeper')

Illumination - Spring (At Last) - with Aziz on Sarod, Tambura [Electric]

Illumination - All Good Books - with Aziz on guitar

22 Dreams - God - with Aziz on vocals

Sonik Kicks - Sleep of the Serene (co written with Aziz)

Sonik Kicks - By The Waters (co written with Aziz)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I am joined by a hardcore Paul Weller Fan who is so crazy about the live experience that he has created a new initiative called Love Weller Live.

Steve Wheatley's first gig was 24 November 1979 - where The Jam had such a massive positive impact that he was hooked.

Over 150 gigs later - The Jam, The Style Council and Paul Weller Solo - and that never-ending feeling of anticipation for the next one hasn't gone away!

Find out more his special pin badges, mugs and more for Love Weller Live at thisisnow.design

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is the magnificent singer-songwriter (and now published author!) Kathryn Williams.

Kathryn has released eleven full-length albums under her own name (and more with various side-projects) since her debut LP, Dog Leap Stairs, was released in 1999.

A massive Paul Weller fan herself - Kathryn's songs have also been called out by Paul as favourites over the years - with him picking the song Heart Shaped Stone in his top ten 45s in Mojo Magazine earlier this year.

Kathryn tells stories of sharing the stage with Paul, visiting Black Barn Studio and a very special upcoming collaboration too (with one of my favourite stories so far on this podcast) along with the story of her career, inspirations and techniques to create those beautiful, heart-felt, honest songs.

Check out Kathryn's amazing back catalogue at kathrynwilliams.co.uk and find her novel The Ormering Tide here

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Surrey Broadcaster / Legend - Peter Gordon AKA PG

PG shares stories of a massive impact on his youth from The Jam - a shared love of the local area with the band - and stories of spending time with Paul, Bruce and Rick over the years for interviews, live gigs, unveilings and special friendships too.

A permanent fixture on radio in the Surrey area for over 30 years, PG is probably best known for his 25 years with Eagle Radio, presenting the breakfast show and overseeing the station’s output for all that time – as well as being a director of the business.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is known by Paul Weller as The General.

Steve Trigg - Professional Trumpet Player, Performer, Arranger, Composer and Producer.

We kick off with his love of The Jam and dive in to stories with Stone Foundation and playing with Paul at the Royal Albert Hall and on the Forest Tour 2019.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest is one of the UK’s finest, high-profile bass players, Dave Swift.

He joined Jools Holland and His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra in 1991 and his career, which expands beyond three decades, boasts a musician’s portfolio that seconds no other - playing with an array of renowned artists, from George Benson and Chaka Khan to Adele, BB King, Hall & Oates, Noel Gallagher, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon along with the main man that we're all here to talk about Paul Weller!

Paul has been on Later... with Jools Holland / Jools' Annual Hootenanny more than any other guest and many of his performances would be filed in the archive as iconic classics!

Here are just a few...

Paul Weller - Will It Go Round In Circles Jools Holland Hootenanny 1998

Dave Swift on Bass with Jools Holland backing Paul Weller "I Forgot to be your Lover"

Amy Winehouse and Paul Weller - Don't go to strangers (at Hootenanny 2006)

Listen to September in the Rain from The Golden Age of Song here

To view all that huge list of lots of artists with whom Dave Swift has performed, click here.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is John Harris - author, journalist and Paul Weller Super-fan!

John was a key part of the music press in 90s - working at Sounds, Melody Maker, NME & Q Magazine before being named editor of Select.

As a freelance writer John has written about music, politics and a wide variety of oher subjects for publications such as Rolling Stone, Mojo, The Independent, and New Statesmen.

He has written many books including "The Last Party: Britpop, Blair and the demise of English rock"

John has written notes of boxsets of The Jam - including the 40th anniversary set 1977 along with liner notes from The Jam: The Studio Recordings an 8LP heavyweight vinyl box set released in 2013.

October 2021 sees the release of the book - The Beatles : Get Back - the first official standalone book to be released by The Beatles since international bestseller The Beatles Anthology.

Edited by John Harris from original conversations between John, Paul, George and Ringo spanning three weeks of recording, culminating in The Beatles’ historic final rooftop concert.

Find details at getback.thebeatles.com

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Sheasby (AKA Brother Sheas) from Stone Foundation joins me for Episode 44.

Sheas formed the British Modern Soul Group with Neil Jones back in 1997 (check out episode 26 for my chat with 'Jonesy').

Putting an English spin on a strong Stax influence, the seven piece outfit from the Midlands are leaders in the British modern soul scene.

We hear all about Neil's love of The Jam, The Style Council and Paul Weller Solo (including nights with the Movement in the early 90s) and his take on becoming friends with, and working with Paul Weller in recent years.

We also dive in to his wonderful memoir - Boys Dreaming Soul - a touching, funny and heart-warming read that documents Neil's formative years of the 1970s to his 1980s coming-of-age, through a tale of shared musical epiphany and a soul-searching ambition to perform.

You can find the book at https://tonybeesleymodworld.co.uk/apps/webstore/products/show/7987453

Find out more about Stone Foundation Live and on Record at www.stonefoundation.co.uk

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is the fabulous musician, turned award-winning author, Daniel Rachel.

He wrote his first book, Isle of Noises: Conversations with Great British Songwriters after spending his twenties as the lead-singer in Rachels Basement. The book featured interviews with the likes of Paul Weller, Jimmy Page, Robin Gibb, Ray Davies, Annie Lennox, Noel Gallager and many more.

His 2017 Book Walls Come Tumbling Down: the music and politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge - which won the Penderyn Music Book prize - charts the pivotal period between 1976 and 1992 that saw politics and pop music come together for the first time in Britain's musical history; musicians and their fans suddenly became instigators of social change, and 'the political persuasion of musicians was as important as the songs they sang'.

The follow up in 2019 Don't Look Back in Anger: The rise and Fall of Cool Britannia was an Evening Standard and Metro Book of the Year.

Daniel and I dig in to these incredible historical documents to talk about some key periods in the career of Paul Weller with stories of Red Wedge from the 1980s and Cool Britannia and his return to the top of the charts in the 1990s.

You can buy these brilliant books and support independent bookshops here https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/danielrachel or head to Waterstones or Amazon. 

** If you've enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review and tell your friends! Plus if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My very special guest on this episode is Rick Buckler - drummer for The Jam!

Described as 'the big beat behind all of those great songs' and 'the perfect drummer for the perfect bands', Rick tells his story from the early days learning the instrument, to meeting Paul, Steve Brookes and Bruce Foxton at Sheerwater School in Woking.

We hear about the early days playing 50s and 60s favourites around Surrey to finding their own voice through a blend of rock, punk, mod and new wave, to signing with Polydor through to those incredible singles, albums, live performances and the personal triumphs - and ultimately how it all came to an end in 1982.

A man proud of the legacy and music that endures to this day.

You can also find out more by reading Rick's story in the book - That's Entertainment: My Life in The Jam- written with Ian Snowball - available here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thats-Entertainment-My-Life-Jam/dp/1783057947/

** If you've enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review and tell your friends! Plus if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, Photographer Martyn Goddard takes us through his Jam archives.

For avid consumers of Jam vinyl in the late seventies and early eighties, Martyn Goddard’s photographs need little introduction. His images appear on the cover of their first album, In The City, and their fifth, Sound Affects.

His photos were also used on the front covers of a flurry of picture sleeve singles from 1977 to 1979: In The City, All Around The World, The Modern World, News of The World, David Watts/ ‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street, Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, and finally Strange Town.

We dive into his personal recollections, and his shoot journals, where he recorded the dates of his studio sessions - and hear a bunch of memories from working with The Jam.

Find out more on Jam Sessions - Photographs by Martyn Goddard - his limited edition book with SnapGalleries.com here...

After a period assisting acclaimed photographer Gered Mankowitz, Martyn became a regular face on the New Wave music scene of the seventies and early eighties. This was an era of LP picture discs with serious budgets requiring creative photography. Photographing acts such as Blondie, The Jam, The Cure, Sham 69, Ian Dury, and Toyah lead to commissions from Queen and Elton John’s Rocket Records in the rock mainstream.

While working for the Sunday Telegraph Magazine, You and Sunday Times Magazine in the 1980’s he shot portraits and features with recording acts such as Genesis, U2, Jethro Tull, UB40 and Wham, progressing to portraits of great writers, artists, actors and politicians.

A period of working with Wham in the late 1980’s, including their groundbreaking tour of China, closed a chapter of life within the music business.

Martyn went on to work for Car magazine, creating new techniques of automotive and travel photography.

In recognition of his work, Martyn became a Fellow of the British Institute of Professional Photography in 1987.

** If you've enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review and tell your friends! Plus if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My latest guest is described perfectly by @BritpopMemories as 'Probably the best bass player of his generation' - Damon Minchella.

As a founding member of Ocean Colour Scene for 14 years, Damon toured the world, scoring five top five albums and 15 top 20 singles (they even supported Paul at my first live Weller experience in 1992!)

From 1994-2006, he doubled up as a member of Paul Weller’s band - playing on hit albums - Heliocentric, Illumination, Studio 150 and As Is Now, along with plenty of Live LPs and DVDs.

Post Weller-Band, he has continued to work with Drummer, Steve White in three bands - Trio Valore (with Justin Shearn / Seamus Beaghen) Players (with Mick Talbot)  and The Family Silver (with Matt Deighton).

At the same time his place as one of the UK’s most talented bassists has seen him in much in demand - playing live or in the studio with such rock ’n’ roll greats as Richard Ashcroft, Paul McCartney, The Who, Jimmy Page, Dr John, Paolo Nutini and Amy Winehouse.

You can find out more about Minchella & Manning here - https://www.minchellamanning.com/

** If you've enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review and tell your friends! Plus if you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I chat to former Polydor Art Director, Bill Smith.

Not only did Bill create that famous spray-paint The Jam logo that lives on today but he also created the covers for 5 of their albums and 16 of their singles!

Across five decades, Bill Smith Studio has worked with more than 200 bands and artists, creating hundreds of album covers, singles bags, and CD covers. You may not know it, but if you bought records over the past forty years, you’ve probably bought a number of theirs.

Bill Smith Studio worked with some of the world’s best photographers, illustrators and painters on covers for, among others, The Jam, The Cure, Kate Bush, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, King Crimson, Eric Clapton, Toyah, Johnny Thunders, Genesis, Queen and Mike Oldfield.

In his new book 'Cover Stories' you’ll find the stories of 70 plus albums including contributions from the bands, the artists, photographers and painters involved. 

Find out more and order your copy here - https://redplanetmusicbooks.com/products/cover-stories

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2021 finally sees the reemergence of British folk’s most enigmatic lost son - and I can't quite believe that the mighty Matt Deighton is joining me on the podcast!

You may recognize Matt Deighton from his time fronting Acid Jazz heroes Mother Earth or as Paul Weller’s guitarist in the late 90’s when he joined the band for the Heavy Soul Tour.

And my goodness me - he has some fabulous stories to share!

For almost two decades, the man they keep calling the natural successor to Nick Drake, Davey Graham and John Martyn has been himself more of a rumour – a murmur among musicians, songwriters and diehard music lovers who proudly display his rare vinyl releases like trophies.

Matt’s is a story of genuinely great musicianship and songwriting; but most of all, of the beauty and fragility of one of Britain’s greatest lost talents and how life around him has sometimes shaped a fate beyond his control; but who has come back with something more beautiful every time the storm abated.

Find out more about Matt Deighton - Overshadowed - the intimate documentary at www.mattdeightonmovie.com and check out his tunes at www.mattdeighton.co.uk

Thanks for listening!

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Celebrate the release of Fat Pop (Volume 1) from Paul Weller with some lovely fans!

Including The Magic Mod (Ben Taylor), Trevor Neal (Trevor & Simon), Broadcaster Peter Gordon (PG)

Plus Super-Fans, Tony Christmas, Aarjen Schilt, Peter Nagle, Sandy Mackinnon, Jordan Cartmell, Dan Spackman and David Gordon.

All recorded over lunchtime on Friday 14th May 2021 - Fat Pop Day!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My Guest on this episode is Alex Borg AKA The Stereo Typist 

This podcast is published on the eve of the release of Paul Weller's 16th Solo album - Fat Pop (Volume 1) so who better to chat to than the man who created the wonderful album cover artwork!

We hear how it all came about, stories of meetings at Black Barn / Paul Weller HQ along with Alex's love of vinyl, graphic design, bright colours, Pop Art and making music with his band - Moonlight Parade.

Find out more here

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mick's Up!

My Guest is The Style Council Legend - Mick Talbot - keyboardist, songwriter, singer, composer and record producer.

On 1st March 1983, Paul Weller officially pulled the wraps off his new project, to be called The Style Council.

Following the split of The Jam, Paul had re-signed to Polydor as a solo artist, and soon recruited former Merton Parkas, Dexy's Midnight Runners and Bureau keyboardist, Mick Talbot who remained his soul brother and sounding board for the next seven years.

We talk about performing with The Jam, forming The Style Council and those incredible singles, EPs, albums, videos and live dates including Tokyo, Glastonbury, Live Aid and so much more!

Post-TSC, Mick has worked with Paul on his first 3 solo albums (Paul Weller, Wild Wood and Stanley Road) and more recently for On Sunset (Baptiste, Village & Walkin').

You'll also find Mick's amazing musical skills on albums with former Style Council member Steve White, under the name Talbot/White and The Players (with the addition of former Ocean Colour Scene bassist Damon Minchella), in the jazz/funk band The Players.

He played keyboards in Galliano, on the 1991 Young Disciples album Road to Freedom, and on recent LPs from Stone Foundation and even co-wrote & produced Dexy's 2012 LP One Day I'm Going to Soar

2020 saw him appear on the Monks Road Social album with the likes of Dr Robert, Matt Deighton, Neil Jones and Kathryn Williams.

My thanks to Mick for giving up his time for this very special episode - and for Nicky Weller for helping to arrange it all.

If you enjoyed it then please chuck a few quid to Romney House Cat Rescue - romneyhousecatrescue.org.uk

Oh... and here's Júníus Meyvant that Mick mentions at the end too!!! https://juniusmeyvant.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode I'm joined by PR Guru, Polly Birkbeck (the lady who looks after press for the main man - Mr Paul Weller!)

Polly started her career as A&R assistant in the early 90s at Food Records (label for Blur, Jesus Jones, Diesel Park West and others) before heading over to Savage & Best PR where she was Head of Press working with the likes of Pulp, Suede, Elastica and Menswear during the crazy days of BritPop!

She moved to v2 Records in 2000 and has worked with Paul Weller ever since - including for the past 15 years on her own venture, Complete Control PR

Polly has loads of lovely stories of working with Paul, and even a nice surprise about the Black Barn crew and this little podcast thing!

If you enjoy the podcast and want to support financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I chat with Paul Francis - bass player with The Paul Weller Movement in 1990.

In 1989, Paul Weller found himself without a band and recording deal for the first time since he was 18.

After taking time off for most of 1990, he returned to the road in Nov / Dec, touring as "The Paul Weller Movement" with drummer Steve White, Max Beesley (now Hollywood star!), Crispin Taylor, Jacko Peake, Damon Brown, Chris Lawrence and Paul Francis on bass.

Dive in to hear how it all happened - links with Galliano, Whitey, Mick Talbot and so much more...

Paul's time in the band was also captured live for BBC Radio, in a concert that features on Paul Weller Live at the BBC

We also chat about Capricorn 1 - an instrumental band project, built from the remnants of his days with Paul Weller, JTQ and Galliano and his musical relationship with drummer Harbans Shrih (JTQ, The Funky Muchachos) and Mick Talbot from The Style Council.

You can hear it here

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is the fabulous Chris Difford - singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer - founding member of Squeeze with Glenn Tilbrook.

His musical journey has run parallel to Paul Weller - from starting his first band in 1972 - to hitting the big time in 1978 - and a legacy of magnificent songs like Cool for Cats, Up The Junction, Is That Love, Some Fantastic Place - and at times their story has crossed over too - most notably with Paul recording his 2000 LP at Chris' studio Heliocentric (the album was named after the studio!)

A master of the smart, pithy lyricism - Chris has also written songs for Jools Holland, Elton John, Wet Wet Wet, Helen Shapiro, Billy Bremner and Elvis Costello - been the manager of Bryan Ferry and The Strypes, and released four brilliant solo albums.

Chris published his autobiography in 2018 - Some Fantastic Place - which charts his life from childhood in south London to becoming a member of one of Britain's greatest bands and beyond. Along the way Chris reveals the inspiration and stories behind Squeeze's best-known songs, and his greatest highs and lows from over four decades of making music.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we head across the English Channel to the South of France for a chat with LE SUPERHOMARD AKA Christophe Vaillant.

A french musician with a history of mod-styled formations, like the band The Strawberry Smell and Pony Taylor - and a love of the music of Paul Weller!

In early 2019, his debut album Meadow Lane Park was not only dreamlike and enchanting, but the critics loved it - and it you read any interview with Paul Weller at the time - he was likely to be raving about it too!

He even included the song 'Black Diamond' in his ten favourite songs of 2018 for UNCUT.

Their musical chemistry doesn’t end there, as LE SUPERHOMARD went on to remix ON SUNSET for the 2020 EP featuring new versions of songs from Paul Weller's Number One LP!

Christophe Vaillant is back with a new album - available from 30th April 2021 = Maxwell Farrington & Le SuperHomard - ‘Once’ - a timeless collection of sophisticated orchestral pop.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mojo Magazine - Senior Editor, Danny Eccleston talks Paul Weller Edits MOJO!

Paul Weller has been a reader since Issue #1 and a MOJO cover star 11 times. Qualifications that make him an ideal MOJO Guest Editor (their sixth). He asked for features on Paul McCartney, The Coral, CSNY, My Bloody Valentine and Funkadelic, gave the lowdown on his new LP, and recommended new bands and buried treasures for you to check out.

Danny shares stories of interviews with Paul from Wild Wood to now, along with a love of The Jam, Style Council and Solo music, and even takes us through this month's covermount CD - curated and compiled by Paul Weller.

Titled Into Tomorrow, it features 15 tracks including songs by Richard Hawley, Durand Jones, Third Ear Band, Declan O’Rourke, Teenage Waitress, Marvin Powell and a Weller rarity!

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to an episode dedicated to The Jam Scrapbook - a unique project from Blogger Jill Webb from Hull, England and Steve Hinders from Ohio, USA

Listen to me play the part of Cilla Black for a very special 'Surprise Surprise' episode of the podcast.

Back in the 1980s, inspired by Paul Weller, Jill wrote and edited a music and poetry fanzine called Kindred Spirit.In 2020, her world changed completely from a chance social media connection with Steve.What follows are stories of a shared love of the 'best band in the f**king world!' along with some amazing tales of spending time with the Weller family, correspondence with Paul, journeys with The Jam Army, and so much more!

Have a listen to their amazing tales - and then check out the blogs to see the photos and read all about it...

THE FIRST BLOG

https://kindredspiritfanzine.blogspot.com/2020/11/paul-weller-riot-stories.html

THE JAM SCRAPBOOK PART 1

https://kindredspiritfanzine.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-jam-scrapbook-part-one.html

THE JAM SCRAPBOOK PART 2

https://kindredspiritfanzine.blogspot.com/2021/03/jam-scrapbook-two.html

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York City based singer-songwriter Jeff Slate is not only an internationally recognized recording artist and music journalist...

From the discovery of The Jam in the 1970s, to a love of The Style Council and the first moments of Paul Weller Solo to now - Jeff has been there as a super-fan, a collector, master-interviewer and so much more!

Jeff has also got his copy of Fat Pop (Volume 1) so stand by for news on what Jeff calls 'the best moments of the past 5 or so records'.

Jeff co-founded the band the Mindless Thinkers in the 1980s, founded The Badge in the '90s, and has performed and worked with countless rock luminaries, including Pete Townshend of The Who, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, Sheryl Crow and others.

As a music journalist, Jeff writes feature articles and conducts in-depth interviews for Rock Cellar, Rolling Stone, Esquire, The  New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, NBC and more...

READ 2020 Reappraising Paul Weller’s The Style Council

READ 2020 Paul Weller: ‘The Modfather’ Discusses Life in COVID-19 Isolation and His New Album, ‘On Sunset’

READ 2018 Searching for ‘True Meanings’ with Paul Weller

READ 2015 Weller talks Saturns Pattern

CHECK OUT JEFF SLATE'S MUSIC here

In October 2020,  Jeff released a new single, "Heartbreak" - recorded in sessions spanning the globe during the current pandemic lockdown and the first evidence of the sessions for a promised studio album in 2021 - the single featured an all-star cast of players, including his longtime collaborator Earl Slick (John Lennon, David Bowie) on guitars, Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses) on bass and Paul Weller's longtime drummer Ben Gordelier.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Rapport - Rock 'n' Roll Photographer - documented the London music scene of the 1980s with nothing more than a pair of trusty Nikons and a passion for music with heart and soul.

Dive in to hear Steve's incredible stories of music photographer, including The Jam and The Style Council from Brixton Fair Deal, to the ICA, a key role in Red Wedge with Paul and Billy Bragg, to photography on The Lodgers and Long Hot Summer videos plus Wembley, Live Aid and so much more...

These days Steve can usually be found at his (mostly) rock 'n' roll gallery at Rockaway Beach in his home town of Pacifica, CA, which showcases his incredible work. 

You can order Steve's new book here - Modfather: Paul Weller, The Jam & The Style Council

And check out his portfolio of incredible photography

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Jones from Stone Foundation joins me for Episode 26.

Neil formed the Midlands-based Soul band with Neil Sheasby in 1997.

A band that continue to raise the bar with every release - and a band who have worked so collaboratively with Paul Weller in recent years.

2017's breakthrough LP, Street Rituals was produced by Paul, who also features on all the tracks (piano, guitar & vocal including lead vocal on ‘Your Balloon Is Rising’). Two songs - ‘The Limit of a Man’ & ‘Colour Of’ - are co-writes with a Jones/Sheasby/Weller credit.

Everybody, Anyone in 2018, featured 11 new songs and a sprinkling of guest musicians including Kathryn Williams, Dr Robert, Mick Talbot, Steve White, & The Average White Band’s Hamish Stuart, and unable to stay away, Paul Weller sneaks back in with a bit of piano, guitar and BVs on a couple of tracks.

Is Love Enough? was again recorded at Paul Weller's Black Barn Studios in Surrey and continues their fruitful collaboration with another killer collaboration with Deeper Love. Paul also provides backing vocals on ‘Picture A Life’ and joins the band and plays guitar on ‘Af-Ri-Ka’, ‘Help Me’, and ‘Love’s Interlude (II)’. 

The band have also supported Paul on tour + Mr Weller has joined them on stage at their gigs too.

Check out some Stone Foundation with Paul Weller below

Back in the Game

Your Balloon is Rising

Deeper Love

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saxophonist & Song-writer, Billy Chapman played with The Style Council alongside his own band, Animal Nightlife.

You can hear him on TSC tracks 'Dropping Bombs On The Whitehouse', 'Me Ship Came In!' from Café Bleu, along with the single 'With Everything To Lose' and 'Heavens Above' from The Cost of Loving LP.

You can also hear him live on Home & Abroad LP, Style Council in Concert and watch on Far East & Far Out - Council Meeting In Japan.

Plus check out Animal Nightlife albums - Shangri-La (1985) + Lush Life (1988)

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy nominatted singer, songwriter, producer and trombonist, Ashley Slater joins us on Episode 24 - (6 out of of 7 special Honorary Councillor podcasts)

Ashley emigrated to England in 1977, where he joined the regimental band of the Royal Scots - serving in the army for 6 1/2 years - before joining the jazz orchestral collective Loose Tubes. 

As an Honorary Councillor, he played on the single version of The Lodgers 'A newly recorded version presented to you by public demand' which featured The Style Council's biggest studio entourage to date plus The Orange Album (The Cost of Loving LP) on tracks Walking The Night and Fairy Tales.

In 1993, he began working with Norman Cook on the now seminal band, Freak Power. They had a Europe-wide number 1 hit in 1995, following use of their tune "Turn on, Tune in, Cop Out". 

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have a proper exclusive for Episode 23 as my guest is Jaye Ella-Ruth, formally known as Jaye Williamson.

Jaye toured the world with The Style Council in 1984, performing as an Honorary Councillor on BBC Sight and Sound In Concert, and the Far East And Far Out Live video. 

You can also hear her vocals on the Groovin’ EP and 1998's LP 'The Style Council in Concert'. 

You're in for a real treat as Jaye has never spoken about her time working with Paul Weller and The Style Council!

Post TSC, she was a member of The Brand New Heavies, recording their first album and single, and original member of Yes No People (who later became Stomp).  

Jaye toured and recorded with many artists, such as Imagination, Curiosity Killed The Cat, Michael McDonald, Jermaine Stuart, Whitney Houston, Donny Osmond, Ce-Ce Penniston, Talk Talk & Errol Brown...

Watch Far East Far Out - Council Meeting in Japan and the Big Boss Groove Video

Find out more about From The Style Council

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Style Council Celebration continues with Kevin Miller

Part of Tracie Young's Soul Squad - signed to Paul's Respond Record Label - he was musical director and played bass guitar -  Kevin toured the world supporting TSC.

He also played bass on the Groovin' EP - 'You're The Best Thing' , 'Big Boss Groove' and 'Shout to the Top'.

Kevin also worked with Spandau Ballet’ (whilst the absent Kemp brothers were making the film The Krays) and then on to record an album in Los Angeles with ‘Tony Hadley’ after Tony and the band had parted company.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Style Council Celebration continues with bass player - Anthony Harty

Anthony joined The Style Council straight out of school in 1983.

As an Honorary Councillor, he went on to tour the World with Paul, Mick and the band until 1985 before going on to work with over 100 bands and artists includingThe Truth, The Specials, The Beat, The Selecter, Badfinger, The Primitives, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Hazel O’Connor, Steve Ellis (Love Affair).

He even bagged himself a Grammy from work with Lee Scratch Perry!

You can catch Anthony live with From The Style Council

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Style Council Celebration continues with drummer, percussonist & singer - Zeke Manyika

Winning the accolade of 1st Honorary Councillor - listed on the back of the 'Speak Like a Child' sleeve with Tracie Young - Zeke was part of The Style Council before it even existed - working with Paul and Mick on 3 of the first 4 singles.

As part of Orange Juice, Zeke tour up the charts in the early 80s before working with The The, The Zeros, Route 66, Mark Almond and more recently Faze Action.

In the early 90s, it was Zeke that Paul Weller turned to to enhance the sound of The Paul Weller Movement - his first solo venture after the break of The Style Council.

Check out Zeke on Spotify here

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 Podcasts - 7 Days - 7 Honorary Councillors!

We kick off a celebration of The Style Council with Hilary Seabrook...

Now days, she's a creative working with words - online, in print and on air - but in the 1980s, she played saxophone in The Style Council heading out on UK and European Tours in 1983...

Listen to The Style Council's debut album Café Bleu, released in March 1984, and you can hear Hilary playing sax on A Gospel and Headstart for Happiness.

She's also on sax for the single version of My Ever Changing Moods with Paul on lead vocals and guitar, Mick Talbot on piano & backing vocals, Steve White on Drums, Peter Wilson - former producer for The Jam - on keyboard synth and Barbara Snow on Trumpet…

The Tube

Top of The Pops

Saturday Superstore

Headstart for Happiness

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, first broadcast on 2nd March 2021, we dive into the heart of British music with legendary music mogul and label boss Alan McGee.

This is the man behind some of the biggest acts in indie rock... Oasis, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Happy Mondays and so many more...

The founder of one of the most successful & iconic record labels, Creation Records... a label that may never have existed without Paul Weller...

We had a lovely chat about the early punk scene - his love of The Jam - to Creation Records via All Mod Cons and of course, the meteoric rise of Oasis.

It was a real delight to hear that Alan still has a huge love of music and discovering new artists...

And most of all, throughout the conversation, we also hear about his undying love for Paul Weller...

"I've always been into Paul Weller. I've never not been into Paul Weller since 1977."

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is the fabulous, Pete Paphides 

Pete started his career in music journalism at Melody Maker before going on to write for Time Out, the Guardian, Mojo, Q, Observer Music Monthly and The Times, where he spent five years as their Chief Music Critic.

Not only is Pete a massive Weller fan but he has spent time with Paul in his studio and on tour - and has some incredible stories to tell - including the best kebab tale you will ever hear!

.Since 2015, Pete has hosted a weekly music show for Soho Radio - Listen here

In 2020, Quercus published his first book, a memoir about childhood and music entitled ‘Broken Greek’ - Check it out here  (It's brilliant!)

Oh and finally, Pete mentioned his Weller Spotify playlist so check that out here too.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest is Former Record Industry Executive, Dennis Munday.

Working for Polydor, Dennis effectively became an honorary member of both The Jam and The Style Council - often being the vital link between Paul Weller and record company, Polydor.

Dennis takes us on a journey from a love of Jazz to working with the best f***ing band in the world - The Jam.

We hear incredible tales of recording those hit songs and albums, a link to The Beatles that you may not know about, to the band on tour plus how Paul split the band and created The Style Council with Mick Talbot, how Dennis discovered Drummer, Steve White, the success of Cafe Bleu & Our Favourite Shop to the rejected final album.

We even touch on the Weller comeback in the early 90s and what is left in the magical archive!

It's an incredible story so strap in for an amazing ride.

NB: Dennis now lives in Italy - where the internet is less than fabulous so the audio quality on this one isn't outstanding - I hope you enjoy!

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on Episode 15, Craig Hassall - CEO of London's Iconic Royal Albert Hall.

Plug in for stories of a love of The Style Council from Down Under, getting the gig at RAH, Teenage Cancer Trust's epic nights with Mr Weller and inside info on one of the World's most treasured music venues.

Paul Weller has played RAH over 40 times - including the famous (on this podcast at least) 5 nights in a row in 2010.

Find out more about the Royal Albert Hall at www.royalalberthall.com

And see / buy the Sir Peter Black mural that we talk about here

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BAFTA winning writer & comedian, Trevor Neal is best known as one half of British comedy duo,  Trevor and Simon - rocking our Saturday Morning TV worlds for a decade on Going Live! (1987-1993), and Live and Kicking (1993-1997).

Trevor is a massive Paul Weller fan - from discovering punk as a teenager and a shared love of The Jam through to performing on the same bill in the 90s - and rocking out to Weller Solo on Jools Holland.

In fact he has more in common with Paul than you could ever imagine.

Share the love on Twitter - twitter.com/trevorneal

You can find crowd-funded comedy audio drama - Strangeness in Space at strangenessinspace.com/

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Absolute Radio & Magic Radio are two of the biggest radio stations in the UK - attracting millions of listeners every week.

James Curran is the man behind the music - working with labels, artists, DJs, presenters to shape the sound of these award-winning radio stations as Director of Music...

Not only does he love MUSIC - love LIVE GIGS - love RADIO - he also happens to be a Big Paul Weller fan - arranging sessions and interviews with Paul throughout his career.

Listen to Absolute Radio here

Listen to Magic Radio here

And if you want to request Weller (whilst giving the podcast a little mention) then you can get in touch with the team here...

Magic Request Show - Sundays 10am  - Get your requests in on [email protected], or text MAGIC followed by your message to 61054 or fill in the form here

Absolute Radio Request Show - Sundays 6pm - To get your song on-air tweet @AbsoluteRadio with #RequestShow or text 81215 (50p + n/wrk rate).

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

t's episode 12 of the podcast, and I've already been invited in to the Weller family home!

Special guest, Nicky Weller - the blood, sweat and tears behind both The Jam and The Style Council Fan Clubs - along with the fabulous About The Young Idea - The Jam Exhibition.

Nicky also happens to be sister to Mr Paul Weller (our end goal for this podcast series!).

On this episode, we hear Nicky talking about family life, growing up as a Weller, the early days in Stanley Road, Woking and The Jam, The Style Council, Solo, On Sunset and so much more... We even discover what Paul is watching on Netflix,

Nicky Weller's insights into her father's role as the band's manager sheds light on the negotiations with record labels and the no-nonsense approach he brought from the building trade.

I also loved the personal memories, such as meeting David Bowie at the British Rock and Pop Awards in 1980...

At the time of recording, the interview touches on the challenges faced in 2020, including canceled events - (the Brighton exhibition which would end up happening in the summer of 2022) and uncertainties in the music industry due to the pandemic.

We even help Nicky and Paul's mum, Ann Weller to find her knitting! 

Nicky is also fundraising for Romney House Cat Rescue - please chuck a few quid their way if you enjoy our chat.

romneyhousecatrescue.org.uk

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I am joined by musician, record producer and DJ - Andy Lewis.

Andy was part of The Paul Weller Band - from 22 Dreams to A Kind Revolution - playing to millions all over the globe.

He has released two albums as a solo artist, on Acid Jazz Records: Billion Pound Project in September 2005 and You Should Be Hearing Something Now! in October 2007.

He made his name as one of the prime movers behind the Brit Pop explosion of the mid-90's thanks to his DJ sets at Blow Up and on Blur's Parklife tour.

In 2017, he released Summer Dancing - a critically acclaimed album with folk legend, Judy Dyble.

In 2020, he played bass on the magnificent album 'Thunderclouds' by Louis Philippe & The Night Mail.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WHAT A THRILL!

My guest on Episode 10 is Timothy Shepard - an incredible collage artist working with paper, photography, cine film and music.

Tim created the artwork for the album cover on Paul Weller’s masterpiece - 22 Dreams (2008)

He has also filmed and directed a number of music videos including for Kevin Ayers, The Go-Betweens, and Bandante (George Vjestica - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds).

We find out more about working and walking with Paul, how he created the magical album cover, along with sessions at Black Barn Studio and so much more!

Find out more here - www.timshepard.co.uk and the full artwork here 

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Weller once sang "Your mojo will have no effect - as we head into tomorrow"

Clearly he hadn't read Mojo's Collectors Series - from my special guest, Pat Gilbert.

Journalist, author, broadcaster and a man who has Paul Weller on speed dial - Pat shares a love of The Jam, stories of many meetings with Paul and exclusive interviews.

Plus a sneak preview on 2021's upcoming new album - Fat Pop Volume 1

Mojo: The Collectors Series: Paul Weller - Edition 1

Mojo: The Collectors Series: Paul Weller - Edition 2

Pat Gilbert Online

Pat Gilbert On Twitter

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Singer / songwriter Teenage Waitress aka Daniel J. Ash joins us for Episode 8

A huge Weller fan with tales of meeting his hero, supporting Paul on tour, creating at Black Barn and so much more!

Daniel also treats us to a special Lockdown3.0 bedroom session playing "The Mess You Made Me Make"

Check out the debut album from Teenage Waitress - Love & Chemicals

And here for more info about Colorama Records

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on Episode 7 is Ian Snowball (Snowy)

Author of multiple books on The Jam, Style Council and Paul Weller including Sounds From The Studio, Thick As Thieves: Personal Situations with The Jam and the 2021 publication of Soul Deep - Adventures of the Style Council (with my guest from Episode 1, Stuart Deabill)

Ian also collaborated with The Jam's Rick Buckler on his auto-biography That's Entertainment: My Life in the Jam

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I am joined by Ben Taylor, AKA 'The Magic Mod' - not only is he Rock n' Roll's favourite magician - Ben is a massive Paul Weller fan - who has accompanied Paul and the band on tour and in the studio at Black Barn.

https://www.instagram.com/the_magic_mod/

Celebrating the modern world subculture, Liam Gallagher claims, “he is the best dressed magician about.”

Being the only magician to tour with various bands and artists, Ben has made The Magic Mod a well known name around the indie music scene. Having accompanied the likes of the Libertines, Pete Doherty, Paul Weller and Reverend and the makers at sold out gigs and festivals (namely, Isle of Wight festival), performing a well-received show to thousands at any one time.

As well as having numerous TV appearances under his belt, Ben also has a documentary made about his journey through magic. The documentary features famous supporters such as Vicky McClure (This is England), Johnny Owen, Martin Freeman and The Magic Mods’ biggest supporter, Paul Weller.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 5: Lee Cogswell - Film-Maker, Mono Media Films - shares stories on The Style Council and Paul Weller documentary films...

On Episode 5 of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I am joined by the hugely talented film-maker Lee Cogswell...

Lee is one half of the brilliant team behind Mono Media Films (together with Episode 2 guest, Bax)

In this podcast chat, we explore the story behind his mini-documentaries on the making of Paul Weller albums A Kind Revolution, Jawbone, True Meanings and On Sunset.

Lee has also directed music videos for Stone Foundation, The Moons and Paul Weller (White Horses and Movin' On, with the addition of Still Glides the Stream which came after our podcast chat)...

At the time of recording, the incredible documentary on The Style Council - Long Hot Summers had recently been broadcast on Sky Arts too...

Hear our chat below and find out more about Mono Media Films at monomediafilms.london

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Let me attempt to explain why Lee's work is so important to me as a Paul Weller fan.

Over the past few weeks, you can't fail to have noticed that the internet ha Peter Jackson film on the Beatles. It is brilliant footage from the “Get Back” studio sessions and the band's final work together, some never before seen film of them in the studio recording, larking about, playing together and most importantly, creating incredible music.

Understandably, it was just what we needed and everyone has been raving about how brilliant it looks. And whilst Lee doesn't have the Oscars, the Golden Globes and the 6.5 billion pounds of worldwide box office revenue like Peter Jackson just yet, for me his work evokes the same kind of feelings that I got from watching the Beatles footage.

If you haven't seen his films, Lee has had incredible access to Paul over the past few years, from the

Jawbone soundtrack through to A Kind Revolution, True Meanings and On Sunset.

Each of these wonderful albums has had these brilliant documentaries filmed in the studio as Paul

and his band work on a new album.

Now, as a fan, they are an absolute joy.

You dive into the new album. I remember A Kind Revolution... hearing The Cranes Are Back; loving,

loving, loving that song.

Hearing things like Long, Long Road, One Tear with the brilliant Boy George and New York, Hopper, The Impossible Idea... What a song. Wow. And I devoured that album for weeks.

And then the joy of discovering the incredible making of film created by Lee and by Bax (from episode two of this podcast). }

I'm mind blown; I loved it, I watched it over and over.

It captured the spontaneity of the band; how they create and nail these incredible songs in just a few takes. Watching Woo Se Mama coming together with PP Arnold and Madeline Bell. Such legends. Oh man, it is honestly such a brilliant film. And that's just one of them.

So check out the documentaries for True Meanings and On Sunset as well. Just brilliant. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 4 - and I'm joined by Weller Fan and Radio Boss, Ric Blaxill.

Ric has an incredible CV, working across radio and TV, collaborating with some of the biggest names in the business.

From BBC Radio 1, Capital Radio and BBC 6 Music to Top of the Pops - and Paul Weller's return to primetime TV in the nineties.

Ric currently works for Bauer Media as the music and content director for its radio division looking after Planet Rock, Kerrang Radio, Heat! and Scala Radio.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3's guest is Singer / Songwriter Russell Hastings (From The Jam)

The only frontman to work with both Rick Buckler and Bruce Foxton since Paul Weller split The Jam in 1982.

His work with Bruce has also seen him also work alongside Paul Weller, Wilko Johnson and Steve Cropper to name just a few

As a genuine Jam fan, his passion and understanding of The Jam's history is second to none and has toured the world playing to packed houses of Jam fans for years.

Russell was also co writer on Bruce Foxton's last album "Back In The Room" which reached Number 21 in the Independent album charts and was received with great acclaim.

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Episode 2, we are joined by Weller Super Fan, and friend, Mark Baxter (Bax)

A Writer / film-maker / PR man / London Legend … known as The Mumper, who, together with his Mono Media company partner, Lee Cogswell, has made documentary films on recent Paul Weller albums from Jawbone through to On Sunset.

They also made 2020's incredible Sky Arts Documentary on The Style Council called Long Hot Summers.

Strap in for Episode 2 of the World's First Paul Weller Fan Podcast.

Find out more about Mono Media Films at monomediafilms.london

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 1: Stuart Deabill on Soul Deep, The Style Council and more…

Stuart Deabill was (and always will be!) Guest Number 1 on The Paul Weller Fan Podcast.

I’ll be forever grateful to him for joining the ride so early on, when even I wasn’t really sure how it would all work out or what it really was.

He shares a great love for The Jam, The Style Council and Paul Weller Solo and has been hugely supportive of this whole podcast venture too (even bringing me to tears when he gave a shout out on stage at a recent Style Council themed event in London!).

Stuart has suggested great guests, hooked me up with his connections, emailed me with ideas, and sends regular notes sharing his love of the podcast and how much he has enjoyed the amazing guests that are coming on board. He’s also the one that suggested and set up our first live show at London’s Cockpit Theatre in March 2022.

Stuart’s story is an interesting one too. A Watford-based author who came to publishing in very recent times.

His first 3 books were co-written with Ian Snowball as part of a series called ‘Personal Situations ‘.

It all kicked off with Thick as Thieves: Personal Situations with The Jam which reflected the aspirations and celebrations of growing up in the 1970’s with rare photographs and sharp insights on The Jam.

Two other books, Supersonic (about Oasis) and From Ronnie’s To Ravers (London’s iconic nightlife) followed, sharing fans experiences of gigs, nightclubs, music, fashions, alongside the major players involved in each subject.

His long standing obsession with music, football (a fellow Chelsea Fan!) and casual attire, has enabled Stuart to dress well, have good ears and a foul mouth for the best part of 45 years now.

In our podcast chat we took a dive into Soul Deep his 2021 publication on The Style Council…

If you want to support the podcast financially, you can buy me a virtual coffee via the link below (£3)

Buy me a coffee on ko-fi