The Jam Scrapbook Seven

It's been a long time coming, but here is my seventh and final online scrapbook dedicated to The Jam. Now I have published the 40th anniversary edition of Kindred Spirit I feel as though I have finished what I started back in 1983/4 and it's time to channel my energy in other directions.

It has been an absolute joy and a pleasure compiling the posts over the last few years and sharing with you all the stories and memorabilia relating to the best band in the f**king world that people have been kind enough to share with me.

Are you ready to take a walk down memory lane with me one last time?

Anyone who follows me on X will know that 2024 was the year of The Jam/Paul Weller poll. I posed all sorts of different questions, some of which I cannot take credit for thinking up. We've covered many different angles, from favourite 'Video Snap' video to most underrated song. From best Foxton moment to album tracks that could have been a single. The grand finale was a marathon poll of people’s all time favourite Weller-penned lyrics spanning the whole of Paul’s career. Emotions have run high every time without exception, but one song proved to be a winner in pretty much every poll.

Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.

It seems fitting to kick off the final scrapbook with a Tube Station vibe. This neat little drawing from 1977 “of a familiar trio of chaps who appear to be standing on an underground platform or such like…” is the creation of Colin Skene.

Have you got what it takes to tread the glazed dirty steps and save the curry from going cold?

I’m loving Malc Whiley’s conversation piece coffee table, although I think I'd feel frightened to place a drink down on it for fear of scratching the disc!

The lyrics to this chilling masterpiece certainly saved the day for Mark Thomson back in 1983. He had been given one warning after another by his English teacher - Mrs Gibson - for handing in essays late. Mark remembers one particular occasion when the topic he had been asked to write about was urban decay. After favouring hanging out with his mates wearing his favourite parka over doing his English homework, he arrived home knowing he couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer. He was scratching his head about what to write as he listened to Snap. When ‘Down In The Tube Station At Midnight’ started playing he had a brainwave.

He decided to pad out a story based around the song. He more or less used every line and gambled that 60 year old Mrs Gibson wasn’t familiar with The Jam. To avoid using any rhyming words, he remembers switching things around to read “they smelled of pubs, and prison soap”.

Mark managed to redeem himself and so impressed his teacher she scored his essay with an A. The lady clearly recognised a talented wordsmith.

There is another interesting little story and some incredible memorabilia from Mark a little later on.

Mark was not alone in plagiarising Paul Weller’s lyrics for schoolwork. Paul Durham managed to incorporate the lines “the world is your oyster but your future’s a clam” in one of his English essays and scored an A for his work. Jonathan Peacock went one step further and plagiarised the lyrics to Burning Sky for his English O level. He walked away with a B grade.

Who remembers the NME readers polls of 1982? The Jam stole the show in nearly every category.

It is a privilege to be able to include a piece of art by Yorkshire artist Paul Halmshaw. He has created a number of hand painted indie, Brit pop and rock inspired paintings, and his attention to detail is second to none. Please take a minute to study the image below showing one of his creations dedicated to Paul Weller. I guarantee you will be mesmerised! You can find Paul on X, Facebook and Instagram.

When my youngest son was a teenager he used to enjoy watching 'The Inbetweeners' on TV. He probably won't thank me for mentioning it now. It's something I think he'd rather forget, but the reason I have raised it is because I only recently learned that Simon's dad (in the Inbetweeners) aka comedy writer and actor Martin Trenaman appeared with The Jam on Top of the Pops the time they played The Eton Rifles. He was one of the guys dressed in a red tunic.

This of course sent me off down a rabbit hole! Apparently Martin was briefly the drummer in a Southend based mod band called The Cards. They formed in 1979 and split in 1983. They underwent a series of line-up changes throughout their short career. From what I can gather Martin joined somewhere in the region of late 1980. I'm not sure how long he remained with them.

Shortly after Going Underground shot to number one in the spring of 1980, The Cards got to support The Jam. This came about as a result of vocalist/guitarist Martin Roe, being a friend of Paul Weller's. They went on to support The Jam twice more - at Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff on Sea in September 1982 and at the final gig in Brighton. Does anyone remember seeing them?

I am always interested to hear stories of how others lives were changed by The Jam. It was listening to All Mod Cons that opened up a whole new world for Alun Bishop and subsequently inspired him to learn to play bass. Here's how it came about.

Growing up in the South Wales valleys, music was often tied to what your parents liked or what you heard on the radio or TOTP. I had always liked music but the local record shop was very much hit and miss for current chart hits and often you’d end up buying a second or third choice record as the one that you really wanted wasn’t there.

A gang of friends started listening to the more punk/alternative music on offer. A friend had lent me All Mod Cons. Another friend had apparently written the lyrics out to “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight” as an exam essay and was told that although the subject wasn’t on the exam agenda it was a very good read. This sparked my curiosity.

So, I’m in the bedroom lying on the bed, listening to the album – starting on side two as I wanted to get on to “Tube Station”. Reading the lyrics was a novelty as not all albums had lyrics and I was bemused - some of the words didn't even rhyme.

The next few songs passed by until 'A Bomb in Wardour Street'. Wow, an apocalyptic vision of the future based in some London location I had never heard of. I was intrigued. Then came 'Tube Station'. I fell in love with it immediately. That bass line! Awesome! The subject matter. He’s beaten up, they take his keys and are heading to his home. I played it again and again. I’d never been to London. I'd been to Cardiff a few times but there were no tube stations there. Is this what London was like? Weller’s lyrics were a world away from the mountains and collieries which seemed to be the only thing on offer to me in those days.

Needless to say, I backtracked to earlier Jam albums, taking in all Weller’s cynicism and realism and Foxton and Buckler's rhythm. I then surfed their musical crest from 1980, collecting albums and singles (had to be picture sleeve) until their unfortunate demise at the end of 1982. My mother hated the “hurdy gurdy” as she called it and was shocked at the occasional bad language. That made the teen rebel, that I reckoned I was, like them even more.

I was lucky enough to catch them on their farewell tour at Port Talbot where if I remember rightly they opened with 'Start', followed by 'So Sad About Us'. The rest was a blur. 'Tube Station' is still my all time favourite song as it takes me back to that incredible realisation that music wasn’t always just a song with a catchy repeated chorus.

I never followed Weller’s further career with The Style Council or his solo material but my eyes had been opened. I appreciate he wanted to move on and so did I. I started listening to music for it’s intent, composition and lyrics rather than just the nice radio friendly, throw-away, poppy material that was deemed “safe” for listening to.

I took up the bass at about 17, and am still playing in a band today. We’ve tinkered with some Jam stuff but I’m happy not to play it. They were my band and my introduction to musical appreciation. I don’t ever want to try to replicate it for the sake of reminiscing. That was my time I’d like to keep for myself. But oh "wasn't it such a fine time"?

Badges, badges and more badges...

After listening to one of Gary Crowley's punk and new wave compilations, Dave Ross jumped on the online nostalgia train, sharing memories of how his older brother introduced him to the music of the late 70s. This in turn helped him start what ended up as a full collection of The Jam's singles.

However... life got in the way as it has a habit of doing and Dave ended up being parted from his beloved collection, but all was not lost. I'll hand over to him to tell the story.

My older brother had all the singles from 'In The City' to 'The Eton Rifles'. He then became a soul boy so I "inherited" them and bought the rest up to 'Beat Surrender'. I remember the thrill of 'Going Underground', the power of 'Funeral Pyre', but the most excitement was saved for 'Start'. That completely grabbed me. Cycling to the record shop on the day of release and playing it to death. That cover... That video... It was everything to me.

I took my whole vinyl collection with me when I got married in 1989 and there they sat in my loft as the years passed. When my marriage broke up in 2012, I left them behind thinking I'll get them another day. Another day never came... So after joining in with a discussion about Gary's Punk and New Wave collection, I decided it was time to replace them. I didn't care about the condition. I wanted them to have been loved and played to death like mine were. A sides and of course B sides. Discogs was my friend and soon the whole collection was complete. A Twitter friend sent me a spare 'When You're Young' which was incredible. I played them all in order and won't deny it was an emotional ride each song and crackle putting me in a time and place when the world only held opportunity and innocence hadn't yet been replaced ty the world weariness of the protagonist in 'Just Who is the Five O'Clock Hero'.

What an extraordinary writer Paul Weller is and what a band he created with Bruce and Rick.

My plan now is to frame each one and hang them where they can't be forgotten again. The band of my youth keeping me company as I crash through middle age. Long live The Jam!

Danny was lucky enough to witness The Jam live at the Brighton Centre during what was in my opinion their most fiery period. Here's his ticket.

Although in time I accepted 'Heatwave' as part of the Setting Sons story, I don't think I am alone in saying that on first listening, it never felt as though it quite fitted with the rest of the album. Many have said if it had been replaced by either 'Strange Town' or 'When You're Young' it would have been a flawless album in the same way as All Mod Cons was. Interestingly, in the Setting Sons songbook that is precisely how the track list read. I wonder why. If anyone can shed light on it, please do let me know.

Thanks to David Rouse for the images.

And don't you just love this alternative 'Setting Sons' cover? It was Tim Williams' offering in Sheffield artist Pete McKee's "Thud Crackle Pop" album design competition of 2021. Tim says "I know it is two ambulance bearers assisting a wounded soldier, but I was looking through the eyes of 13 year old me in 1980, who saw it as three soldiers."

He was awarded third prize and won a Pete McKee beer glass and tea towel. I reckon he should have won first prize.

Keeping things close to Sheffield, here's a badge bought at the Top Rank on the opening night of the Sound Affects tour.

You wouldn’t mind getting stuck in a traffic jam if you were behind either of these two vehicles would you?

In one of the polls I ran last year, the question asked was "What is your favourite B side by The Jam?" The winner was 'The Butterfly Collector'.

The poll sparked a huge debate, especially when Liza Radley - the other favourite to win was voted out at a relatively early stage in the contest.

This got me digging deeper and compiling my own personal top 10 of the band's B sides. Judging by the way the polls panned out I'd say I am in the minority with the order, but here goes anyway...

1 - Disguises

It was a while before I realised this was in fact a cover version, but on hearing The Who's original, it was instantly apparent The Jam had made the song their own. I don't mind admitting I much prefer The Jam's take on it. I find The Who's heavy guitar reverberation has the same albeit a watered down effect of someone scraping their nails on a blackboard. Thankfully The Jam toned things down. The whole song is melodic yet offbeat somehow. The perfect partner for the fiery A side.

2 - Smithers Jones

Surprisingly this song did not take the crown in the polls where people voted on Bruce Foxton's finest moment but in my opinion it should have done. I much prefer the more fast paced train journey effect of the 'When You're Young' B side version to the strings on Setting Sons. Based on the experiences of Bruce's dad, the sentiments take on a different meaning as the years pass. And old Smithers Jones is still bringing the house down at From The Jam gigs 45+ years later.

3 - Shopping

With its melancholy jazzy feel, this song takes you on a trip along the high street, covering a range of emotions as you go. Alienation and despair were themes Paul excelled at exploring through the songs he wrote for The Jam and this is a perfect example.

"I dress myself for the part - I smile but it just don't work - Something about my face - must just be the wrong shape - I better try another brand pretty quick"

4 - So Sad About Us

When the A side is 'Down in the Tube Station at Midnight', it would be almost impossible for any track that featured on the B side not to become a mere whisper in the shadows. But by choosing to cover a song by The Who and dedicate it to the late Keith Moon the song managed to stand alone. I like the way The Jam didn't deviate too far from the melodic original. It seemed more fitting than trying to put their own spin on it.

5 - The Butterfly Collector

Sneering, cynical and unnerving and considered by many to be superior to the punchy A side of 'Strange Town', I can see why so many people chose this as their number one B side, even though it isn’t mine.

Paul's nasal vocals accentuate the biting sentiments.

"As you carry on 'cause it's all you know - You can't light a fire - You can't cook or sew - You get from day to day by filling your head - But surely you must know the appeal between your legs - Has worn off."

Some of the lyrics haven't aged well, but the message is clear. It's a slight on a woman who eats people up and spits them out in a bid to get to where she wants to be. As for who the song is about, I've still not been able to find a definitive answer.

6 - See Saw

I've always had a soft spot for this song. It is dripping with teenage angst and confusion over a relationship that has turned sour. A sharp contrast to the thundering A side. The vocals see saw between Paul and Bruce. The lyrics are in places pure poetry.

"Your friends told me you moved out of town - I got your address and I wrote it down - I used the pen that you bought for my birthday - And every stroke, you know, reminded me of you - I realize that we'll never be together again..."

The Jolt released ‘See Saw’ as a single In 1979. Rewinding two years earlier, they supported The Jam along with The Rezillos at Clouds in Edinburgh. Willie was fortunate enough to be there and shared the below poster for the gig,

7 - Takin' My Love

Paul may not have developed as a lyricist when he wrote this little firework with Steve Brookes, but it reeks of raw youthful energy, as does the A side. Rock and roll meets The Who. It's infectious and energetic from start to finish.

8 - Liza Radley

Of all The Jam's B sides, this was the only one which saw more action on my turntable than the A side. It is psychedelic, poetic and surreal. In my 40th anniversary fanzine I have included one of many poems I've written inspired by this song. You can almost picture a girl with long hair, wearing a floaty dress, gliding across a field late at night, with arms outstretched. She bemuses some people, enchants others. I think Liza Radley will always be an enigma.

9 - Tales from the Riverbank

Here we have another song that conjures up many images. Those opening lines are as near to perfection as you can get.

"Bring you a tale from the pastel fields - Where we ran when we were young - This is a tale from the water meadows - Trying to spread some hope into your heart..."

The poetic lyrics are set against the backdrop of a haunting melody. The idyllic images are tinged with the signature Weller cynicism of that era. It is the perfect blend of light and dark.

Photo courtesy of Duncan Essex

10 Aunties and Uncles (Impulsive Youth)

Here we have another example of mellow B side versus explosive A side. I still believe the melodic 60s vibe of this tune would have fitted well on ‘This is the Modern World’, perhaps instead of ‘Don’t Tell Them You’re Sane’. What do you think?

So there’s my top 10. If you are now shouting at the screen and want to correct me, please feel free to add your own 10 in the comments. Steve C took things one step further and put together a Spotify playlist of his favourites which you can check out here.

There is a full round up of the 2024 polls in my 40th anniversary fanzine.

When Mark Thomson noticed a rip in his beloved fishtail parka, he decided to get some “Weller” badges made on eBay, one of which he applied to cover the rip. He sent one to Mr Weller. He was delighted to come across the photo below shortly afterwards.

And what do you think of Mark’s bar, which he’s named the Soul Shack? You could easily lose yourself in there for a few hours!

In the last scrapbook David Moore shared the poster below from a ‘Photo Secret Love’ magazine he pinched from his sister.

I was intrigued by the part of the accompanying text stating “Sham 69’s Jimmy Pursey asked Paul Weller to produce their new single.” So I contacted David to ask him if he had any more details. He kindly contacted Tim V (Sham 69) via Facebook to ask him for more details. Tim in turn contacted Rick Buckler for clarification.

Shortly afterwards Tim passed on a message from Rick shedding light on it. If you are a fan of Sham 69 you may wish to skip over the next few paragraphs!

The truth of the matter is Paul was never asked to produce a Sham record. At the time Paul didn't like Sham. He viewed them as a bit of a joke. Despite sharing the same label he said Jimmy was always looking to have his name on records as a producer. In essence it was a rumour put out by Jimmy rather than an actual event.

From what I can gather, this was a sanitised version of what Rick actually said, but how great that David managed to get an indirect contribution from the mighty Mr Buckler for the final scrapbook!

David Wilner shared these awesome photos from when he saw The Jam play in Boston MA in May 1981. He said it got so hot in there that by the end of the performance, shirts had to be removed!

Styled on the sweater Paul Weller was wearing on the front cover of ‘This is the Modern World’, Paul Hart asked his late mum if she could knit something similar for him, and this is what she came up with. Your mum did you proud there Paul. A treasured garment. I'm loving the shoes too!

Andrew Bugge had some rather impressive pieces of canvas art made up. I'm particularly fascinated by the book case of songs by The Jam. Telling a story in a song was certainly something Paul excelled at during his time with The Jam.

And just look at the wall Lee Bruce has in his back garden! I'd be making an excuse to chat to him if I lived next door!

I would be the first person to agree that social media has its negative points, but for me, joining Twitter/X has highlighted the positive side without a doubt. I've met some interesting and talented people, some of who have become friends. When it came to putting together my 40th anniversary fanzine I felt comfortable asking certain people to contribute. Poet Steve Oxlee was one of them.

To quote a line from the fanzine, Steve "can do something I have never mastered. He writes witty poetry". He also happens to be a massive fan of Paul Weller/The Jam. So much so in fact that he has named his beloved dog after him.

During one of our discussions about Tube Station, Steve told me "The BBC initially banned 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight'. On Radio 1's Friday Roundtable programme, a review show where they played new releases to three guests and asked their opinions. DJ Tony Blackburn thought Tube Station was a bit ugly and unpleasant. Paul Weller rang the show. He didn't get put through on air, but the host read out his message, explaining the song's anti-racist, mindless violence, meaning."

Steve then went on to share a series of very personal Jam-related memories. I'll hand over to him to tell you more.

"I was a teenager full of angst, when I first heard The Jam's song 'In The City' on the radio, and hence it struck a chord (pardon the pun) with me. The next day, I took a bus to Andy's Records in Bury St. Edmunds and bought the 7" vinyl.

Over the next five years, I purchased their six studio LPs, one live LP and 17 subsequent singles. It became a ritual, putting the vinyl on the turntable and singing along to the lyrics, invariably printed on the sleeve. The high quality of The Jam's 7" B-sides and the fact that many of their singles, didn't appear on their LP's(1977-1982) is well documented. To this day, the sound of vinyl eclipses any other. 

Their ground-breaking single, 'Down In The Station At Midnight' was released in October, 1978. It was typical of Weller, to put his head above the parapet, with an anti-racism anthem.

As usual, I purchased the single on the day of it's release and proceeded the flog it to death on my record player. A school friend commented, "Oh, that's the song my brother's mate is on". Thinking my friend was extracting the urine, my response was terse. But, in fact, his brother was a mate of Phil Thornalley, whose voice shouts in the background, before the vocals kick in.

I realise it's a tenuous link, but to me, a youth obsessed with Paul Weller, anything connected to him, sent me into the stratosphere.

Another personal anecdote, after the 1978 release of the LP 'All Mod Cons', was a sibling bursting into my bedroom to profess, "I heard a song by that band you're always listening to and it sounded nothing like them, it was really good!". I knew straight away, my sibling was referring to the poignant ballad, 'English Rose'.

All Mod Cons has always remained my second favourite The Jam LP, particularly the lyrics. They identify strongly with what I believe and cogitate.

A poetic hero of Weller's is Percy Bysshe Shelley. Like Shelley, Weller's words spoke to the masses. They were a protest. He yearned (and still does) to awaken the sleeping giant of the UK from languor, to motivate the people to question authority.

The tales (dare I say, legends) of The Jam's early gigs (1977-1979) encapsulated the raw energy and political passion of the band. The first time I saw them in concert, was at The Birmingham Odeon on 22nd May, 1979. The noise was booming and what particularly struck me was how (seemingly) the entire audience sang along to every lyric and were completely immersed in the gig, from start to finish. Well, I say finish, the last song was 'A' bomb in Wardour Street and the stage props(or whatever they were called) went over the top with the smoke bombs. You couldn't see the band on stage. According to The Jam's Polydor manager, Dennis Munday, The Odeon manager went ballistic (again, pardon the pun) and banned The Jam from appearing there again. As The Jam's popularity grew and they subsequently played larger venues, those early gigs were never equalled.

My favourite The Jam LP was their penultimate one, released in November 1980 and entitled 'Sound Affects'. The cover art is a pastiche of the artwork used on a plethora of Sound Effects records, produced by the BBC during the 1970s. It was the bands 'coming of age' album. It's inventiveness gripped me at the time and still does today. It's one of those rare gems, where every song is exceptional. It's a masterpiece, I'll listen to until the day I die. It also contains one of the finest lyrics ever written, 'Two lovers missing the tranquility of solitude'.

In 1982, I won an 'NME', 'answers on a postcard' Jam quiz, where the prize was a copy of their swansong studio LP, 'The Gift'. By autumn of that year, it was evident from Weller's interviews, he was done with The Jam. That final studio LP, 'The Gift', contained a couple of insipid songs. I accepted and empathised with Weller's decision, not least because, he was primarily The Jam. It's also left me with treasured memories of The Jam, as has Weller's correct decision, to never reform the band.

Talking of treasured memories, in September 2016, my late wife Steph, our pooch and I, visited an exhibition about The Jam, held at The Cunard Museum in Liverpool. Obviously, I was the proverbial kid in the sweetie shop. We entered at 10 a.m. and left at 4 p.m., singing 'Beat Surrender', with pooch barking in approval.

Steph, who never gave praise lightly, later commented to me on a stroll around Albert Docks, "I now understand both the allure of The Jam and why Weller is always evolving with his song writing and music".

Steph also insisted on taking our pooch everywhere. But this time it was different. Being named Weller, rock star dog, a plethora of museum goers asked to have their photograph taken with him. We said fine, as he won't be 'the little dog messing up your tree'.

I don't receive too many emails on Kindred Spirit's dedicated account, but every now and again a message drops in that lights up the entire inbox! When I received some photos from Mike Benson showing pictures of an interesting looking jacket with The Jam's logo on, and a collection of backstage passes, I knew there was a story waiting to be told.

I replied to Mike asking for more information. He told me he was The Jam's backline tech. He started working with them as they prepared for the Setting Sons tour. I asked if he would put a few paragraphs together for this blog post and here's what he had to say:

In 1979 I was working for Muscle Music, a PA company based under a railway arch near Waterloo. One of their biggest clients was The Jam. I had just finished a tour with Stiff Little Fingers when I found out The Jam were looking for a new roadie. I jumped at the offer and started working with them just before Setting Sons was released.

On my birthday that year I settled in at a theatre in Harlesden for rehearsals and a shake down of their equipment. Lots of time was spent soldering cables and testing power systems before the tour.

At the first gig in Aylesbury I saw how the hard work in the rehearsals translated into a powerful and emotional performance, except The Jam weren't "performing". It was real, raw and meaningful.

Throughout November and December 1979 it was a stream of shows, made even better by the chance to meet the fans. I remember sneaking back with Paul to open an exit door to let some fans in who hadn't been able to get tickets.

The gigging went on through Christmas and into 1980. There were some warm up gigs in February 1980, which finished at the YMCA in Woking.

If you'd like to read an account of someone who was in the audience at the YMCA gig in Woking, check out Scrapbook number two.

After what seemed like the briefest of pauses we were off to America. The tour was a whirlwind. Rehearsals at Clair Brothers in Pennsylvania. A string of club and concert gigs trying to get the attention of the USA. We made it round the west coast to Austin, Texas when the news came in that 'Going Underground' had charted at number one. The decision was made to cancel the last show in New Jersey and we all flew back to London.

Two weeks later was the Rainbow, then Guildford, then we were off to Europe.

Obviously I wasn't in the band, but I felt involved in what was happening. It was so much more than just a job.

Photo courtesy of Alexandre Gomez

I opened the last scrapbook with a spine-tingling-ly incredible story from Paul Drew. It was his poem which inspired Paul Weller to write 'That's Entertainment'. If you haven't already read it, here's the link. Several months later I received an email from fanzine writer Ralph Heibutzki from South West Michigan, saying how much he enjoyed the piece.

He told me how he was introduced to The Jam by his late friend Tony Salazar, who taped 'Snap' for him. Once he gave him the thumbs up he did likewise with 'Dig The New Breed'. To quote Ralph he was "off to the races" from that point onwards. Tony taught Ralph how to play as well. Bass first, then guitar. 'In The City' was one of the first songs he learned.

Ralph decided to start writing a fanzine in 2015 after he and his wife went to a 'zine conference in Grand Rapids. His publication is called 'Desperate Times'. Issue one includes a whole section dedicated to The Jam. Ralph has kindly given me permission to reproduce some of the pages here.

If you'd like to know more information, check out Ralph's website, where there is a clip of him reading out one of the articles featured in Desperate Times amongst other things. Copies of the fanzine are available to buy in his online store. Well worth checking out.

The last snippet in my last ever online scrapbook about The Jam is nothing short of magical. Ben Taylor aka The Magic Mod is a huge fan of Paul Weller. and the feeling is mutual. Ben has been on tour with Paul and he features on the 'On Sunset' track 'Old Father Tyme'.

As well as enjoying his 'Magic Mod Monday' videos, I've seen a number of posts on X where Ben has expressed regret about being too young to have seen The Jam play live during the years they were active. There are some advantages to being old I guess! 🤣 He did however managed to get all three band members together in the photo below, which I'd say is a pretty cool achievement.

Ben told me how he was only six or seven years old when he was first introduced to The Jam via his mum, who was in possession of some of their albums. He was hooked straight away. His own first album purchase was 'Setting Sons'. His second favourite album is 'The Gift' and his favourite track is 'Ghosts'.

If you'd like to know more about The Magic Mod, here's a link to his website.

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So that's where I draw things to a close. I don't mind admitting it's quite an emotional moment. What started out in May 2017 as a handful of posts featuring highlights from my fanzines, evolved into a celebration of Paul Weller and The Jam. I have ended up with 30 posts in total. A whole lot of heart and soul has gone into every single one of them. The grand finale on the fanzine front came at the end of 2024 when I brought it all together by printing a special 40th anniversary edition of Kindred Spirit, which is available to buy via eBay.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed in some way to the scrapbooks. I couldn't have done it without you. And an extra special thank you to my friend  and kindred spirit Steve Hinders. It was a chance conversation between the two of us on Twitter one Weller Wednesday back in September 2020 which paved the way for the wonderful wave of Jam/Weller related nostalgia that followed.

If you're a first time visitor to the blog then you might be interested in checking out the whole catalogue of posts dedicated to The Jam. For ease I have included links to them all below. 

Paul Weller, The Jam and Riot Stories -  Letters from Paul Weller, tea with the Weller family, Setting Sons soundchecks, fanzines, poetry and a whole lot more.

The Jam Scrapbooks

Early days through to 1978.

1979 & 1980

1981 & 1982

Extras

40th Anniversary

Scrapbook Six

Find me on X

Kindred Spirit is on Instagram!

Email: kindredspiritfanzine@gmail.com 

Links to my poetry blog and social media channels:

https://jillwebbwords.blogspot.com