Paul Weller
The spokesman for the past three generations, his influence is unparalleled.
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It's been thirty years since Paul Weller first exploded onto the music scene, suited and booted and armed with statement tunes in The Jam. Blending the best of British with his love of Motown, Weller crafted a new landscape in the UK music scene thanks to an impressive portfolio of work including four live albums, four compilations, two EPs, 38 singles and ten studio albums - with Stanley Road, Illumination, and 22 Dreams all hitting Number One.
The spokesman for the past three generations, his influence is unparalleled - without him Britpop and Cool Britannia certainly wouldn't have happened.
Paul Weller, singer & songwriter, first found fame in the punk era, as the singer and guitarist in The Jam. Paul wanted to form a band from around the age of 10. At the age of 12 he was given a guitar by his family and he learned to play along with the music that he listened to. At 14, he played his first gig with his friend Steve Brooks at the Walton Road Working Men's Club.
The Jam
The Jam played in the lunch hour at their school and then, with Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler alongside Brookes and Weller, they continued to play around Surrey and London. In 1977, Polydor Records signed The Jam for £6,000. Later that year, they appeared on Top of the Pops, the show that Paul Weller used to watch avidly as a child.
The Clash took great notice of The Jam and took them on their White Riot tour in 1977. Eventually, the Jam outsold The Clash in terms of UK singles sales. In 1982, it was announced that The Jam would be splitting up. 'Beat Surrender', their fourth number one, was their last single.
The Style Council
Weller formed The Style Council in 1983, with keyboardist Mick Talbot and Steve White. The Style Council played at the huge Live Aid event at Wembley in 1985.
Solo Career
After The Style Council split, Paul Weller returned, with Steve White, firstly as The Paul Weller Movement, then simply as Paul Weller. He became a frontrunner of the 1990's 'Britpop' movement. His current band line-up consists of Steve Cradock, Andy Lewis, Andy Crofts, Steve Pilgrim and Ben Gordelier.