The way of WELLER

From his best album in a decade to drunken tabloid exploits and the sad death of his father, the Modfather had a tumultuous 50th year. John Reed celebrates Paul Weller’s solo career on the eve of his most ambitious project to date.

Adecade on from Stanley Road, Paul Weller seemed to be sitting pretty. While his subsequent albums had paled in comparison sales-wise with that million-selling landmark, the Modfather had gotten into a groove by creating his own studios (Black Barn, a stone’s throw from his home town of Woking), sticking with respected band mates (drummer Steve White first played with Paul in 1983) and creating at least two studio albums of real worth last decade with Illumination (2002) and As Is Now (2005).

But as he approached that milestone, his half century, in May 2008, that restless spirit at the root of Weller’s character – the one which led him to fracture such precious treasure as The Jam at the height of their success, which led him off down a cul de sac at the tail-end of The Style Council in the late 80s, which may even have contributed to the break-up of a marriage and several long-term friendships – reared its head again.

First to change was his backing band. Other than Ocean Colour Scene guitarist Steve Cradock, Weller’s regular aides were dispensed with. In place of ex-OCS bassist Damon Minchella came Andy Lewis. For many years describing himself accurately as “a postman from Watford”, Andy had made his name on the proto-Britpop scene of the early 90s as a DJ at nouveau Mod club Blow Up, while also …

by John Reed
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