The Jam will chronicle six previously unreleased concerts via a new box-set to be released on October 30th.
With the About The Young Idea exhibition remembering the seminal British band’s career at Somerset House in London, as well as a career-spanning compilation of the same name, ‘Fire & Skill: The Jam Live’ will play its part in the re-telling of the Jam story through live albums of concerts at London’s 100 Club, Music Machine, Reading University, Newcastle City Hall, the (as it was then) Hammersmith Palais and finally Wembley Arena.
The contents of the six CDs have been remastered at Abbey Road and come with a 72-page, colour hardback book, a new essay, period photos, rare memorabilia and a set of five postcard prints.
The gigs neatly document significant points in the group’s history, with the 100 Club show occurring in 1977 for broadcast on American radio ahead of their first visit to the States, while the Music Machine gig was part of a low-key run intended to preview the upcoming album ‘This Is The Modern World’.
The Reading University concert took place in February 1979, their first live appearance of that year, showcasing the now-classic ‘All Mod Cons’. Next up, Newcastle City Hall takes us forward to October 1980 and the ‘Sound Affects’ era while Hammersmith Palais recalls a four night stay at the legendary venue in December 1981 when The Jam were comfortably the UK’s biggest band.
Last up is one of their final ever gigs – at Wembley Arena in December 1982 on the 14-date ‘farewell’ tour arranged after Paul Weller‘s shock decision to walk away from the group at the height of their powers.