Sixty Years of Paul Weller POSITIVE

[clive gash]

A thread to mark the birthday of the great man.

Your fave songs, reminiscences - all welcome here.

Keep on keepin’ on Paul!

[Count Machuki]

I love him to pieces, but I'm always too intimidated to talk about him on BCB, what with me being a filthy American and all. It's wild...he's a total cult act over here, but he plays stadiums and shit in the UK.

The Jam were fantastic all the way through, The Style Council is 2/3rds great and that's where he learned to sing. The first solo record is his best LP and one of my all-time favorites. The Dadrock years are fine by me, too, for the most part.

God bless Paul Weller and all those who sail in him.

[toomanyhatz]

As I've said elsewhere, Robert Wyatt likes him, and that's good enough for me.

Also, I WAS a teenage Jam fan.

[Quaco]

There are large swaths of his work that I don't know, and maybe that I won't like, but this is a tremendous list of songs ...

Away from the Numbers
In the City
Standards
Life from a Window
I Need You
Tonight at Noon
In the Crowd
Private Hell
Pretty Green
But I'm Different Now
Boy About Town
The Bitterest Pill
Blue Cafe
The Paris Match
My Ever Changing Moods

[sloopjohnc]

I love him to pieces, but I'm always too intimidated to talk about him on BCB, what with me being a filthy American and all. It's wild...he's a total cult act over here, but he plays stadiums and shit in the UK.

The Jam were fantastic all the way through, The Style Council is 2/3rds great and that's where he learned to sing.

That is true.

I was a big Jam fan too. I'd go to Tower and look at the UK music papers and there was a good period of time where the Jam owned #1 position on the singles and album charts every week.

I remember thinking about seeing them on the Gift tour because they didn't tour the US very often. I thought, "They'll be back," and they broke up. I have kicked myself ever since. I swore, from then on, I'd see an artist or band if I really liked them because you never know what will happen.

[The Slider]

I like very little of what he has done over the years
But this is utterly magnificent



Even a tedious dullard has one gem in them

[Snarfyguy]

This one never seems to get any love. I think it's perfect.

[Brickyard Jack]

Even if all he had written was down in the tube station at midnight he would count as top level.

But there is so much good stuff.

[Fonz]

He’s a miserable fucker.

Does photographic evidence of him smiling exist?

[Kinkhurt]

He’s a miserable fucker.

Does photographic evidence of him smiling exist?

He was good with fans, I used to get my singles and LP's autographed at gigs and he was alright
with us. And they let us in for soundchecks a few times.

[Fonz]

Fair enough.

I liked The Jam enough. He’s a good songwriter.
Not fond of the haircut. FFS.

[harrisong]

I like very little of what he has done over the years
But this is utterly magnificent



Even a tedious dullard has one gem in them

Except you.

[Samoan]

He’s a miserable fucker.

Does photographic evidence of him smiling exist?

[Fonz]

He’s a miserable fucker.

Does photographic evidence of him smiling exist?

That is very funny!

Cheers

[robin goodfellow]

I like very little of what he has done over the years
But this is utterly magnificent



Even a tedious dullard has one gem in them

How come you havnt ?

[Ranking Ted]

From 79 to 85 he barely put a foot wrong. Magnificent run of diverse singles (especially) and albums. His musical restlessness and his obvious status as a pop fan keep him relevant and even if the solo years are patchy, nearly every record has its moments. He’s a national treasure and, still, BCB underrated.

[sloopjohnc]

His musical restlessness and his obvious status as a pop fan keep him relevant and even if the solo years are patchy, nearly every record has its moments. He’s a national treasure and, still, BCB underrated.

Good, short summary. He's what I like to call a "lifer." Like McCartney, like or loathe his music, it's in him and "gots to come out," as John Lee Hooker would say it.

I find moments of sublime music in every one of his solo albums. I think he's one of those guys, because he's been doing it for so long, that people just take him for granted.

[Rayge]

wrong thread.
I got nothing for this one.

[clive gash]

If he hit you at the right age he hit you hard, you’ll cling to him for life. Fashion, politics, poetry, one of us. He’s had his ups and downs, Ted’s right about his peak, bookended by his two greatest records - Sound Affects and Our Favourite Shop. His solo records are patchy but he can still kick it - These City Streets.

[echolalia]

Happy birthday Paul. I love you.



The backing vocal at 1:58 makes me go all tingly! It's quite Big Star-ish.