Paul Weller (Photo: Live4ever Media)
Paul Weller has admitted his decision to walk away from The Jam at the height of their powers in 1982 was ‘horrible’.
An expanded edition of the band’s final studio album ‘The Gift‘ will be released later this month to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
The constant evolution of Weller as a songwriter is crystal clear on that particular record, and offers the embryonic hints of a maturing sound which would result in him coming to the decision to explore those new avenues more permanently with a new band – The Style Council, a move which resulted in the end of The Jam.
“It was horrible to split the band,” Weller remembers when talking with the Huffington Post. “My dad thought I was bonkers. Rick was quite philosophical about it. But Bruce was devastated. Then, of course, the fans – there were a lot of upset people.”
Weller will close out another successful year with the release of a new EP, ‘Dragonfly‘, next month, which comprises a selection of b-sides and bonus tracks taken from his UK number one album ‘Sonik Kicks‘.