School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Paul Weller

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Paul Weller, born John William Weller, was born in 1958 in Woking, Surrey. His love of music began with the Beatles, followed by The Who and the Small Faces. He began playing guitar at eleven, and a Status Quo concert in 1972 confirmed his calling. In the late 1970s he became famous as the guitarist, singer and main songwriter of The Jam, with Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler. The band was both a critical and a commercial success in Britain and was the most influential group of the mod revival of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Music and breakthrough

At the end of 1982 Weller disbanded The Jam and formed The Style Council with Mick Talbot. In it he tried out a wide range of styles, from pop and jazz to soul, hip hop, folk and classical. He then began a solo career, with albums such as Paul Weller (1992), Wild Wood (1993), Stanley Road (1995), Heavy Soul (1997) and later, among others, 22 Dreams (2008) and A Kind Revolution (2017).

Influence

Weller is famous above all in his own country, because his lyrics are rooted in English society. The songs of The Jam are often about working-class life. He is known as the Modfather and influenced later British alternative rock and Britpop, such as Oasis. He won four Brit Awards, including three for best British male, and in 2006 the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Wild Wood from the 1993 album of the same name. Notice the guitar and the vocals, and compare it with what you know of The Jam.

Discography

Studio albums

See also

Categories: Artists