Jawn The Jam

The Jam were the most popular band to emerge from the initial wave of British punk rock in 1977; along with the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Buzzcocks, the Jam had the highest impact on pop music. While they could barely get noticed in America, the trio became genuine superstars in Britain, with an impressive string of Top Ten singles in the late '70s and early '80s. The Jam could never have a hit in America because they were thoroughly and defiantly British. Under the direction of guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Paul Weller, the trio spearheaded a revival of mid-'60s mod groups, in the style of the Who and the Small Faces. Like the mod bands, the group dressed stylishly, worshipped American R&B, and played it loud and rough. By the time of the group's third album, Weller's songwriting had grown substantially, as he was beginning to write social commentaries and pop songs in the vein of the Kinks. Both his political songs and his romantic songs were steeped in British culture, filled with references and slang in the lyrics, as well as musical allusions. Furthermore, as the Jam grew more popular and musically accessible, Weller became more insistent and stubborn about his beliefs, supporting leftist causes and adhering to the pop aesthetics of '60s British rock without ever succumbing to hippie values. Paradoxically, that meant even when their music became more pop than punk, they never abandoned the punk values – if anything, Weller stuck to the strident independent ethics of 1977 more than any other punk band just by refusing to change.

Named after the legend painted on Paul Weller’s amp, Fire And Skill is a superb six disc boxed set – featuring six previously unreleased concerts, one from each year of The Jam’s major-label career.

If you already own the long out of print Greatest Hits set, then there's no real reason to invest in Sound of the Jam, which, predictably, repeats the majority of that program. However, for latecomers this provides an excellent overview of the output of one of Britain's most distinctive and influential new wave bands. The album's 20 tracks proceed in chronological order, documenting the Jam's progression from sharp, aggressive mod-influenced rock ("Modern World," "In the City") to explicitly Motown-influenced post-punk R&B ("Town Called Malice"), with frequent forays into surreal balladeering ("Butterfly Collector") and ambiguous love songs ("English Rose").

From the Jam featuring former The Jam bassist Bruce Foxton, legendary vocalist & guitarist Russell Hastings and drummer Mike Randon, are celebrating 35 years since the release of The Gift, The Jam’s sixth and final album with a special series of shows, in which they will be playing a selection of songs from ‘The Gift’ Released in 1982 on Polydor, The Gift was one of The Jam’s most successful albums, reaching No 1 in the UK album chart.

Released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first single and first John Peel session. 38 tracks from 1977-1981, including exclusive sessions and Radio One 'In Concert' recordings.
Twenty-five years ago this year, with a snotty little ditty called "In the City", The Jam–angry young men in undersized school uniforms, featuring a singer with a seemingly permanent pair of blocked sinuses–introduced their vibrant young proletarian vitriol to the refuge-strewn streets of jubilee punk Britain. It's time then, in typically silveresque anniversary fashion, to celebrate two and a half decades of Weller and co. with this portable three-CD box set of rarely heard sessions from the secretively maintained BBC archives. The 56 tracks are drawn from sessions and live shows, encompassing the years 1977 to 1981 and thereby concluding with the introduction of brass, borrowed Beatles bass riffs, blue-eyed soul, and ski-influenced knitwear.

Named after the legend painted on Paul Weller’s amp, Fire And Skill is a superb six disc boxed set – featuring six previously unreleased concerts, one from each year of The Jam’s major-label career.