DOWN IN THE TUBESTATION

60s early 70s for me. Was into Slade. Wizard. Sweet etc. Once let slip I loved the Carpenters. ( Karen still the greatest voice I’ve ever listened to.) My saving grace whilst having the piss taken out of me by my mates was one of em was a secret Bay city rollers fan until I told rest of em. Took the pressure off.lol. Today go all over watching live music mainly Heavy rock. But if I had to put my neck on the line. Would choose to see Cyndi Lauper over any other band. Seen her 4 times got all her albums. People just talk girls just wanna have fun and take piss. But there are some absolute classics. There are Some genres of music I don’t like. Doesn’t mean it’s *****. Not a fan of Rod Stewart. But a mate said he’s *****. Millions would disagree. Used to wear docs. Parka and headband in 70s. I thought it might save me a kicking from different factions. Not knowing what the **** I was. Totally opposite got kicked in by all 3.

 

Music is viewed totally differently now. Barnsley Boys Club had a similar mix of northern soul & punk / new wave. I actually got a message from one of the two DJs a few years back, who now lives in Germany. Were great times. I can still remember tracks like R Dene Taylor "Ghost In My House", Skids "Into the Valley" & Peter Gabriel's "Games Without Fronteers" getting heavy rotation. Those guys really got me into music.

 

Ghosts
I got by in time
Butterfly Collector

 

Weller has always kept moving on. In the City was punky sounding, but punk was already moving on & Weller definitely went down the mod route. Obviously that obsession led to him eventually teaming up with total mod, Mick Talbot from the Merton Parkas & splitting the Jam, which for me was a bit sad, but did leave a great body of work. I don't listen to a lot of his current stuff, but he does seem to have rediscovered his mojo in recent years, doing some pretty experimental stuff, from what I've heard on 6 music.

 

Yup, you can see the progression through the albums. As you say, "in the city" was raw, but the others gradually moved away from that. "Setting sons" being a big bassy album with orchestra thrown in for "Smithers-Jones", and a brass section for "the gift" which felt like a natural route to the style council.

'Setting sons" is my favourite Jam album. I played at to death as a teenager and know it word for word. Even if I don't listen to it for years, I can still sing along. "Heatwave" being the only track I'm not enthused by, because it's a much covered song that you can't do much with - unless you're kraftwerk I suppose

 

Yes, great LP, I rinsed it too & Sound Effects. I think Mick Talbot played on it as well.

 

Streaming happened. Music became less inclusive and group based. I think they are missing out but life moves on.

I love early period Style Council myself and think in some ways Cafe bleu is his best album though it will never have the same meaning to me as All Mod Cons/ Setting sons/ The Gift.

Weller in the last few years has been fantastic. 22 Dreams is in my top 10 of his albums. The new one True Meanings is splendid.

 

Will give those a proper listen. Agree style council first LP was an interesting progression. Talbot is a pretty talented guy too.

 

I liked that one the Jam did about eating trifles.

 

We are no match for your untamed wit

 

Sorry Seattle. Don’t want to start another row - enough of those on here recently and there’s one going on down near Slough - but Weller signed to Polydor in February 1977 and New Wave was a term being used extensively by that time.

Double checked in the book accompanying the four CD compilation of all The Jam’s stuff and plenty of references there to the band being New Wave.

After all that, what does it matter - it’s the music that counts.

Wish I could be like David Watts.

 

You are both right.

 

Amazed nobodies mentioned Stanley road ,class album still play it now.