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I guess you had to be there really.
It wasn’t that he was my hero when I was 17 and a suburban box-room rebel – Kenny Dalglish and John McEnroe were. He was much, much more than that.
We all knew all the lyrics those two summers from All Mod Cons through to Setting Sons, he coursed through our veins. We even went Undergound when he told us to. I saw them 5 nights in a row at the Rainbow in Finsbury Park, and at Brighton, living the Quadrophenia dream, off my head on mushrooms, sleeping on the beach.
Thick as thieves we were, no corporations for the new age sons. Till we all upped and left for college that is, and then joined the Burning Sky, like we all dreaded we would (except one who went on to be a moderately famous DJ), got drunk and fat and pompous and married and ridiculous.
Still, at least we don’t have his hair.
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I guess he’s talking about the brits.
Some guy got a "lifetime" award for making one decent record since 1982.
And, in case anyone hadn’t realised how s**t
e british music is, some washed-up 50yo American weirdo who disappeared up his own arse a decade ago came on and showed that he has more brilliance in his left testicle than all the "pride of british music" put together.Quite sad really.
Steve
Tooting – I know exactly where you’re coming from. Weller articulated exactly my own feelings, hopes and fears during the late 70’s early 80’s and he and The Jam have always played a significant part in my life. I saw them live at the Caird Hall in Dundee during the Setting Sons tour and it was an awesome night (I didn’t sleep on the beach however).
Regarding Prince, while I acknowledge the guy’s musical talent and sense of theatre, his is, ultimately, a vacuous music which doesn’t come anywhere near the edginess, dynamism or reality of Weller at his best.
Agree about the hair!
I’m with Tooting and Cormack on this – totally deserved award although, as he is still so prolific, it could have waited a few more years.
He was certainly the soundtrack to my life through school and into my first years of employment in the early 80’s.
I loved everything he produced as The Jam and Style Council and like quite a bit of his more recent output.
All Mod Cons probably my favourite album but a thumbs up to the often under rated Sounds Affects (That’s Entertainment, Pretty Green, Start…)
I saw The Jam in concert many times including the last one at Wembly which was great although my ears had been blown the support band – Big Country!
Its refreshing that he doesn’t rely on his impressive back catalogue and doesn’t seem to enjoy playing anything that isn’t contemporary.
Now the only other person who I would like to see similarly recognised is Elvis Costello.
On the subject of The Jam have you noticed Mr Smithers-Jones won on the all-weather for Stuart Williams and is now jumping with Dr Pritchard?
Grass,Ali?
A different fie- sod it can’t be bothered with the rest :biggrin:
are you still clueless about N.H horses? :o lol
Saw him live again at the SECC last December I think it was. Fantastic.
The man is a god in my eyes. Love it that he still gets a real kick playing Jam stuff mixed with Stanley Road, "Modern Classics" and his new stuff.
Grasshopper tells it as is commonly accepted but some of the Style Council stuff I think is still quite good. Have to admit the majority was pants.
Stanley Road is probably my favorite album.
Watched the Brits just for the Weller set but thought that Prince was superb.
I’ve never been into any of Paul Weller’s stuff at all. Just not my type of music. Nor is Prince for that matter, even thugh they’re both from my era.
The jam definitely cought the mood of the working class public brilliantly in its music ( and the football hoolies too). Excellent band. Not a fan of his solo stuff, have to admit.
Good to see I’m not alone!!
<br>"But something came along that changed our minds,<br>I don’t know what and I don’t know why, <br>But we seemed to grow up in a flash of time<br>As we watched our ideals hopelessly unwind."
Not alone mate!
"Gone so soon, the time I spent with you.<br>And like an old, old tune-keeps running through my head.<br>I wanted to say, so many things<br>But my mouth went dry – and one word I cry"
Quote: from EC on 11:02 am on Feb. 17, 2006[br]I think lifetime achievement awards should really be given to someone that has lived a bit longer. <br>
I agree but U2 and Duran Duran have ‘won’ the award in recent years.
"Some guy got a "lifetime" award for making one decent record since 1982."
With three different bands, with totally different styles of music, in four decades Weller has in total released 19 chart albums. Whether one likes his music or not, Weller’s longevity and all-round musical ability is phenomenal.
Bob Geldof has also been the recipient of the lifetime achievement award, surely this must have been for his workin Africa because it can’t be for the music of the Boomtown Rats.
(Pedantry alert) To refer to The Who as the Mod Kings is incorrect. Sure, most of their early music was in the mod style but they were in fact manufactured mod. They were first and foremost a rock and roll band and only became mod because their early manager Pete Meaden was heavily into that scene and spotted a gap in the commercial market. Daltrey and Entwistle hated the whole idea of being a mod band, in fact.
However, I agree with you that they are absolutely amazing live. I was fortunate enough to see them at Wembley arena (just a few months before John died) and they were totally mind-blowing – easily the best gig I’ve been to.
EC – if you like the Live At the Albert Hall DVD I suggest you check out the DVD of their performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, a band at the peak of their powers.
My favourite Who stuff is their early stuff but it has to be said that their later material lends itself particularly well to live performance which, incidentally, they are still well up to delivering.
The Small faces were the Kings of Mod, surely.
(Pedantry alert 2) Finally, Weller won an ‘oustanding contribution’ award, not a ‘lifetime achievement’ award. No m,atter, however, as he would be a worthy recipient of either award. Duran Duran on the other hand…..
Sorry, while I agree with parts of most of these opinions I have to disagree that you have to be born in an era to be someone who carries on the music of the time. Oasis is a prime example of modern Beatle’s 60s influence resurfacing in modern music.
Paul Weller was a mod revivalist infatuated with 60s Mod culture who blended it with Punk in a way that outlasted Punk and any of his peers from the mid 70s. The Who were in fact an inspiration to Weller who’s talent survived and developed over three decades as a gifted and talented "rock" musician. Stanley Road is classic modern rock. Weller would take great pleasure from being considered in the same sentance as The Who. As such he is considered by many to be carrying on the "Mod" crown in these post "Mod" times. I agree and see no other mod king around now (although I love Hi Fi’s Stars of CCTV. A real mod/rock throughback influence in my opinion).
As far as getting into a p**s
ing up the wall competition about who is best seems as futile as considering Arkle to any recent star of horse racing. If The Who had came after the Jam they would have been influenced by them and so on. A time warp approach to music is destined to insularity and an inability to enjoy new talent.I like Paul Weller, fact. Who is to tell me I do not? It does not preclude an appreciation of other talents.
Somewhat bizzarely I saw and bought a book yesterday – just published, that should be right up some of our streets.
"The Modfather" – My Life with Paul Weller – by David Lines. One man’s love affair with all things Weller.
Personally, I’m hoping it focuses mainly on The Jam, but I’ll report back.
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