I was wondering if there were any Paul Weller fans on this board. I'm actually listening to some Style Council stuff right now. He's one of my favorite artist and I would love to see him live sometime.

Paul Weller for me is more miss than Hit. I really didnt like the Jam, apart from down in the Tube Station at midnight, which was a wonderfully evocative song writing. The style council did half a good album of coffee table, dinner party music, just at the time in life i was involved with coffee tables and dinner parties. As a solo artisit I thought his Wildwood was good, albeit fairly derivative of 1970's rock. From then on I have found his output fairly dull.

But gosh, some people love him - so he sure connects musically very well with his audience. But is it a british thing. What is the view from outside the UK?

I thought the Jam were the second best of the punk bands after the Clash - more melodic but less edgy. Weller was politicised after punk - he was a bit of Woking Tory originally. Town Called Malice is one of the great rock songs.

I loved the Style Council, and perhaps a tad harsh about the coffee table thing? I thought they had a bit more substance than that, though I know exactly what you mean. Style Council were Weller's soulful side, I thought; songs like Long Hot Summer, Shout to the Top, My Ever Changing Moods, You're The Best Thing. Then there's the 'lost' album of house music that the record company refused to release that you can listen to on YT:

Style Council - A New Decade

I lost touch with his stuff during the solo years - found it too derivative, sort of Seventies retro rock-funk with a smattering of pastoral folk. I liked the odd song, like The Pictures On The Wall, but it was sort of over for me then.

I've mentioned before on here my complete Respond Collection ( and my Anorak size is Large). Kev just said it all for me too.

Just to clarify, in spite of my coffee table cnipe, I like the first Style Council album. At the time though it was deemed rather uncool, Bit of a Dido for the eigthies. ( Bugger I've dissed it again!)

As far as I with my small opinion can tell, Paul is such a nice guy, and I think every fan of the Sprouts should worship him. He has written so many beautiful songs - don't know exactly how many - wait, let me think, at least 30, or 70?, no need to count 'em here, ...

I've also seen him live, and if all the world would be like him, the world wouldn't be such a mess. - That's my cup of tea.

Btw, where are the next tour dates...?



P.S. Please, don't accuse me for heresy.

Not the biggest of fans, but I must say - reading the SC/Dido comparison - that I think the Style Council seemed quite misunderstood, and where in a sense more provocative and fun than the punky Jam was.

To go from punk (with a Motown twist, but anyway) to man-fondling in a gondola with loafers on was genius!

EDIT: And yes, I totally forgot to mention that my nick is in part a play on the name of Mick Talbot's earlier band, The Merton Parkas.

I've always admired Weller for refusing to trundle along the easy path and taking quite big career chances
He could have stayed in the Jam forever churning out songs to a formula but broke the band up at it's peak, I loved the Style Council, over 5 years moving from cool almost easy listenng to house music shows his reticence to stay in one place.
I've bought all the solo albums but most seem to have a couple of real killer songs on them and the rest, while pleasant seem to miss the mark to me.
Having just had twins with his new partner I was surprised his new album wasnt called "Sleepless Nights" :lol:

(I must clarify: When I said "Not the biggest of fans", I meant that I like Weller, but he's not in the - let's say - top-30 of artists I've listened to in my life. He's done brilliant stuff, then again I've heard some dull stuff also over the years. "Studio 150" (from 2004) was the last album I really listened to, and I thought that one was quite good. Cover album, but still great.)

All of this months music mags have carried the familiar and somewhat photogenic image of Mr Weller on their covers this month.

I cannot stand the music of Paul Weller, there is someting about just about everything he has ever done that I find annoying, grating and he is probably my least favourite artist of all time.

Conversely, I find him a thoroughly enjoyable and extremely interesting person to read when being interviewed and on this months Mojo CD (compiled by himself) there are 6 drop dead classic selections, including "Young Bride" by Midlake, "The Ride" by Joan as Police Woman and "Sarah" by Declan O Rourke which I had never heard before.

Sadly it's somewhat spoiled by Paul murdering Nick Drakes "River Man" towards the end.

I have on many occasion purchased a new Weller album in a moment of weakness only to hate it and have to kick myself up the arse for being so bloody stupid.

In short, understand why he is loved, important figure, but musically not my thing whatsoever.

Yes I agree,Weller's music lacks soul and feeling imo,everything he goes out of his way to convince us he has,and his championing of Ocean Colour Scene is unforgivable.

Big, big Style Council fan here. I've not been interested in his work since - it's wooden, to my ears. Ocean Colour Scene? Appalling. :D

I missed out on the Jam having been born in the late 70s, but I bought a best of based on how much the music press bum them, and have to say I was rather mystified. I liked 'That's Entertainment' and maybe a couple of others, but beyond that it all sounded a bit meandering...