Worth Another Listen - The Jam

I had done an earlier post about Paul Weller, the British singer/songwriter whose career I followed from group to group before his solo career. The first I knew of Weller was when he was part of the New Wave/Punk band, The Jam. Weller was joined by Bruce Foxton and Rick Butler to make up The Jam. They were one of several young bands who looked back to the music of the British acts of the late 50s & early sixties, reclaiming the concept of 'mods' and put in their own spin. They seemed to be part early The Who and part Jack Kerouac, part of the 'beat generation,' only on steroids. They blazed strong in the musical sky, amazing considering they released albums for a scant 5 years, from 1977 to 1982.



In those 5 years, they put out 6 albums and went on several tours, which resulted in 3 live albums. And, as the music industry can do so well, there are 14 compilation albums, as well as 3 separate box sets. The music was rich and textured, while maintaining a raw and emotional edge all delivered at a breakneck pace, hallmarks of the punk movement. Here is a clip of The Jam performing Eaton Rifles live.



Later in the run, you could see the direction Weller was taking with the music, and it was in the direction that would later be played by the Style Council. For me, this evolution was evident in A Town Called Malice.



You can find more about The Jam at their official website here.

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Worth Another Listen - Belouis Some

Belouis Some was an interesting looking man with quite the style and voice. I really dug him, although here in the States he kinda disappeared. Another of the seemingly endless stream of British New Wave artists to hit the American charts, I remember the song Imagination as one I would play over and over, his voice filled with interesting nuance and phrasing.



There was also the slightly less interesting Some People, filled with as much double entendre as it was with the emotional wallop of Imagination. But I did enjoy it!

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Worth Another Listen - The Blow Monkeys

When the New Wave artists hit the scene in the 80s, I was so all over them. It included The Blow Monkeys, a British band who started with lots of promise, but ultimately came up as light as many of their counterparts from the era. They pulled the 19th Century British Schoolboy image for all it was worth, and it certainly gave me a chance to give them a long look - and enjoy their early stuff. That included the song Digging Your Scene.



The Blow Monkeys are back, so to speak. Sadly, I don't think anyone missed them. But I did enjoy their first outing! Just let it go, boys!

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Worth Another Listen - Dead Or Alive

Well, there was no bigger drag queen on the scene in the 80s than Pete Burns, lead singer for Dead or Alive. At that time, the music industry called it gender-bending, but we all knew what they meant.

Anyway, Dead or Alive had a couple of hits, with this song and Lover Come Back To Me and Sex Drive. I remember hearing them in the clubs and dancing up a storm! Controversy seem to surround the band, and their time in the spotlight was brief, although Pete continues to try to extend it, going so far as to appear in the British version of the TV show Big Brother.

To find out more about the band and Pete Burns, click here for Wikipedia.

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