Paul Weller Fan Podcast

In this episode, I’m joined by acclaimed live film director Matt Askem, a creative force behind some of the most iconic concert films of the last 25 years. From capturing the raw intensity of Paul Weller on stage to working with global superstars like Adele, U2, Muse and Take That, Matt has spent decades translating live music into cinematic storytelling. We dive into the making of Weller’s 2000s concert films, the challenges of filming massive crowds versus intimate venues, and how Matt’s perspective has evolved from fast-cut MTV-era energy to a more timeless visual style. He shares behind-the-scenes stories from Hyde Park, Braehead, Studio 150, and the legendary 100 Club, along with reflections on creativity, collaboration, and what makes artists like Weller so enduring. It’s a fascinating conversation about music, filmmaking, and the art of capturing performance at its most authentic. Check out Matt's incredible portfolio here Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m joined by Roger Armstrong - co-founder of the legendary Rock On record shop and the Chiswick label - to talk about his unique vantage point on Paul Weller’s earliest days. Long before record deals, Roger knew Paul as a meticulous record buyer, hunting for Motown and soul 45s at his Soho Market stall. We explore the lost world of seven-inch singles, the importance of B-sides, and how that deep, physical relationship with records helped shape Paul Weller’s musical values from the very beginning. Roger also shares first-hand memories of the Jam’s formative period, including the legendary Soho Market performance powered off a lightbulb, near-misses around signing the band, and how Polydor ultimately swooped in. Along the way, he reflects on the explosion of punk, pub rock’s role as a bridge, encounters with Joe Strummer, and why seeing bands before fame mattered most. A lovely chat about records, scenes, and shared memory - and a reminder that the core of Paul Weller’s musical DNA was set long before the charts ever noticed. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A journalist since 1988, Keith Cameron is currently a contributing editor at MOJO, with a career that’s taken him from Sounds and NME to bylines in the Guardian, The Times, Kerrang! and Q. In this episode, Keith talks about discovering The Jam in the punk era, growing up in the Highlands, and the lengths he went to just to get to gigs - finally seeing The Style Council at university. He gives an honest glimpse into interviewing Paul Weller, from nerve-racking moments on tour buses to frank discussions about Heavy Soul, along with stories of superfans, music press dramas, and the behind-the-scenes world of MOJO. Keith also reflects on the changing landscape of music journalism, why our adolescent music memories stick with us, and what makes Paul Weller’s creative drive so enduring. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this special episode, I bring you a conversation with Dee C. Lee - singer, songwriter and essential member of The Style Council. This chat was recorded in a riverside pub back in January 2025 for my book Paul Weller: Dancing Through The Fire and Dee has been kind enough to let me share this as a podcast episode. What better timing than the release week for the new Café Bleu Deluxe Edition boxset! From her early breakthrough as a backing singer with Wham! to Paul Weller inviting her to Solid Bond Studios, Dee recalls how she became part of a new band without fully realising the shadow The Jam cast - and how quickly she found her place at the heart of it. She reflects on life inside The Style Council: the collaborative atmosphere at Solid Bond, the camaraderie and chaos of touring, muddy misadventures at Glastonbury, nerves at Live Aid, and the confidence she developed performing her own material alongside the band. She also speaks candidly about creativity, motherhood, stepping away from the spotlight, and finding her way back to music on her own terms. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I talk to composer and arranger John Mealing, whose work helped define The Style Council’s orchestral and cinematic edge. John shares how he first connected with Paul Weller, starting with 'Shout To The Top', and goes deep into the making of Our Favourite Shop, The Cost of Loving and Confessions of a Pop Group - including strings, horns, live performances and studio experiments. Along the way, John reflects on his jazz roots, his unlikely journey into arranging, and a parallel career creating some of British television’s most memorable theme tunes. He also offers a warm, revealing portrait of Paul Weller as a collaborator - meticulous, open-eared, and deeply committed to the music - and explains why, decades on, The Style Council’s boldest work is finally getting its due. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Jon 'Mojo' Mills - founder and editor-in-chief of Shindig! magazine, lifelong mod, and someone whose life has been shaped, in very real ways, by the music of Paul Weller. Jon discovered The Jam at the age of ten, too young to see them live but old enough for the music, the look, and the ethos to completely take hold. From The Jam to The Style Council, through the solo years, right up to the present day, Paul’s work has been a constant presence in Jon’s life - not just as a fan, but eventually as a journalist, collaborator, and trusted voice within Weller’s world. In this conversation, originally recorded for my book, we talk about childhood fandom, mod identity, tribalism, music discovery, and what it’s like when your teenage hero becomes someone you share playlists, texts, and cups of tea with... Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, I’m joined by the visionary Belfast musician, composer, producer, and DJ, David Holmes. From soundtracking iconic films to collaborating with giants of UK music, David’s career is one of creative restlessness and fearless activism... The biggest surprise is that it's taken this long for him to collaborate with Paul Weller! We’ll dive into his formative years discovering Paul Weller through the music of The Jam, his journey through club culture, and how those bonds came full circle - culminating in a collaboration with Paul Weller on the song 'Resistance in the Dark' and the creation of The Five Techniques collective, a movement rooted in humanity and protest. Together we explore the intertwining of music and activism, Paul Weller’s legacy of speaking truth to power, and why artists can’t afford to stay silent in the face of global injustice. A candid, passionate conversation on what happens when creativity meets conscience, and the ongoing power of resistance in both art and life. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, I am joined by a true musician’s musician whose artistry crosses borders and genres. Sheema Mukherjee is a sitar prodigy, composer, and band member with Transglobal Underground and The Imagined Village (where she first played with Paul Weller) - fusing her deep-rooted Indian classical tradition with cutting-edge British musical innovation. We talk about her family musical heritage, her powerful approach to emotion and improvisation, and how she developed her unique language on the sitar. We’ll explore Sheema’s session at Paul Weller’s Black Barn studio, where she not only played on the song 'Books' for the True Meanings LP, but also contributed a Sanskrit prayer, lending both authenticity and spiritual resonance to the record and Paul's Other Aspects Royal Festival Hall concerts. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When I started on the extra interviews for my book, Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire, back in July 2024, Journalist and author, Peter Watts was one of the first people that I chatted to. He has written for Uncut, the Guardian and Sunday Times, and has also written a book about the history of Denmark Street: London’s Street Of Sound. He has done some superb interviews with Paul Weller on many occasions including on tour in the US so it was a real delight to capture his memories. For fans of Paul Weller and those fascinated by the inner workings of music journalism, this episode provides a lovely insight into the connection between journalist and artist. Peter discusses his journey from discovering The Jam and The Style Council as a latecomer in the '90s, to interviewing Paul Weller for major publications like Uncut. With stories that span meeting the band in San Francisco, sitting backstage at legendary venues, and exploring Paul’s ongoing search for artistic independence, Peter reveals the human side of a musical icon who’s far more interested in what's next than what's just been released. We also explore the challenges of modern music writing - how the craft has shifted from acerbic reviews to celebrating artistic achievement, and why Paul Weller’s willingness to share his personal battles and musical passions make him such a compelling subject. Listening to Peter’s stories, you'll get a sense of Paul’s enduring restlessness, his aversion to nostalgia, and the realities of the creative life in an age where albums can peak and then vanish in an instant... Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, I chat to Stuart Watts - a producer and director whose credits include acclaimed music documentaries for artists as varied as Paul Weller, Marc Bolan, Andrea Bocelli, Jeff Wayne, and Jeff Beck - along with legendary icons outside of music such as Muhammad Ali and Christopher Reeve. Stuart was the driving force behind Paul Weller: Into Tomorrow, the 2006 documentary that, for the first time, captured Paul’s whole story: from his childhood in Woking through The Jam, The Style Council and his solo years. A lifelong Jam fan himself, Stuart took inspiration from The Kid Stays in the Picture to let Paul narrate his own journey, resulting in a film full of candid reflection, unseen footage, and intimate moments. In this conversation, Stuart lifts the lid on the making of the documentary, working directly with Paul and his family, and the responsibility - and thrill - of telling the story of an artist you’ve idolised your entire life. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I’m joined by someone whose impact on British music and activism can’t be overstated - Tom Robinson. This conversation was originally recorded for my upcoming book, Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire – The Authorised Oral History, and I’m delighted to share it with you now as a podcast episode. Tom first exploded onto the UK music scene with the Tom Robinson Band in the late ‘70s, breaking new ground as a musician and as an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights, anti-racism and political activism. Hits like “2-4-6-8 Motorway” and “Glad To Be Gay” made him a central figure in the punk and post-punk years - the very years that saw The Jam and Paul Weller coming up in parallel. We dive into those formative years, Tom’s memories of the punk scene, what set Weller and The Jam apart, and later, the Red Wedge tour, where Tom truly got to know Paul as both a bandleader and a person. This is a conversation about music as rebellion, about the importance of remaining grounded, about using a platform for collective good. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Ted Kessler - a music writer who’s lived out the ultimate fan’s journey with Paul Weller. As a London kid, he spent his pocket money on Jam singles and memorised the lyrics before he even owned the records. After moving to Paris, he’d receive the NME a week late, schooling himself on Weller, The Style Council, and British pop by long-distance. Years later, Ted found himself writing for the very paper he once treated as gospel. Over decades at NME and Q, he’s interviewed Paul Weller, reviewed his gigs and albums, and - more than once - found himself on the receiving end of the artist’s forthright opinions, including the infamous “get the train to Woking and try it” challenge after a mixed Stanley Road review. Ted is also the author of the memoir Paper Cuts: How I Destroyed The British Music Press and Other Misdemeanours (which includes a heap of Paul Weller related stories), and To Ease My Troubled Mind: the Authorised Unauthorised Biography of Billy Childish. He also devised and edited My Old Man: Tales Of Our Fathers (which included a contribution from Paul about his dad, John). Ted also co-edits The New Cue, a music newsletter delivered three times a week to subscribers. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast is one of the most inventive and distinctive guitarists of his generation - the co-founder and guitarist of Blur, a prolific solo artist, and a musician whose restless creativity has taken him from Britpop to freeform jazz, from noisy riffs to tender melodies. Graham Coxon has collaborated with Paul Weller on some fantastic projects over the years - the sharp-edged 'This Old Town' (2007), the soulful 'Black River' from the 22 Dreams album in 2008 and the swirling 'Dragonfly' from Sonik Kicks being just some examples, along with the gloriously chaotic 'Bankbusted Nuclear Detergent Blues', alongside Weller, Damon Albarn, and the poet Michael Horovitz. From discovering The Jam as a teenager and picking up his sister’s old guitar, to standing on stage years later beside his musical hero - this is the story of admiration, influence, and a shared love of great British songwriting. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I chat to Cat Santos and Sodge Adams, two of the creative minds behind Fifth Column, the pioneering screen-printing collective that helped define the look of Punk and Mod culture in late-1970s London. Fifth Column started when a group of friends decided to design and print - by hand - punk rock t-shirts for bands like X-Ray Spex, The Clash, The Jam, and The Damned. After creating the artwork on paper and curing the shirts in tumble dryers at a laundrette on Kilburn High Road, they sold them outside London gigs. From Camden Market and Kings Road to working with Paul Weller, John Weller, Cat and Sodge share memories of printing iconic imagery, climbing drainpipes to get into gigs, and living the chaos and creativity of the era. As the conversation unfolds, they reflect on how the Punk ethos evolved into political activism through Red Wedge and campaigns like Anti-Apartheid and Coal Not Dole. From surviving a devastating factory fire to designing artwork for All Mod Cons and Setting Sons, Fifth Column’s story is one of resilience, collaboration, and rebellion. It’s a vivid portrait of DIY innovation - and of how a few friends with screens, ink, and ideas helped shape the visual identity of a generation. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Ross has been a familiar face and voice in British broadcasting since the late 1980s. From his early days hosting Channel 4’s The Last Resort, he’s gone on to become one of the country’s most recognisable presenters, known for his sharp humour and genuine curiosity. Whether it’s chatting with global superstars on The Jonathan Ross Show, judging the wild antics on The Masked Singer, or sharing his love of film on “Reel Talk” with his daughter Honey, Jonathan’s career has always been about connecting with people and celebrating culture in all its forms. Yet, for all the celebrity encounters and TV moments, Jonathan is, at heart, a passionate music fan - and Paul Weller’s work has been a constant thread through his life. In this episode, recorded for my book Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire - The Authorised Oral History, Jonathan shares his memories of buying The Jam’s 'In the City' on release day, hitchhiking to see the band as a teenager, and later welcoming Weller onto his TV shows at pivotal moments in his solo career. It’s a conversation about the thrill of punk, the evolution of fandom, and the enduring power of Paul Weller’s music to inspire, challenge, and connect. Order your copy of the book at geni.us/dancingthroughthefire Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is Paul Moody - journalist, author, musician (his band is The Studio 68!), and a man whose journey with Paul Weller’s music has spanned decades. From discovering The Jam as a teenager in North London, to interviewing Paul for the NME during the Stanley Road era, to the DVD interviews for As Is Now and writing sleeve notes for Wake Up the Nation... We talk about the seismic impact of The Jam, the Style Council and Paul's ability to push boundaries, the creative rebirth of the solo years, and what it’s like to go from being in the crowd to sitting in Paul’s living room. This is a dive into fandom, music journalism, and the enduring legacy of one of Britain’s greatest songwriters... Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I’m joined by Phil Bickley - founder of London menswear store Tonic and co-creator of the Paul Weller clothing label Real Stars Are Rare. Phil’s story is a fascinating mix of music, fashion, and friendship. We talk about how his admiration for The Style Council soundtracked his post-rave comedowns in the early ’90s, how Weller first walked into his shop and bought a belt, and how that encounter led to a full-blown creative partnership. From sketching ideas on scraps of paper to launching a successful menswear brand, Phil shares what it was like working side by side with one of Britain’s most stylish musicians. We also explore the challenges of balancing creativity with business realities - and the mutual respect that kept their collaboration grounded. Phil’s insights into Weller’s eye for clothes, his “upside-down triangle” physique, and the shared spirit behind Real Stars Are Rare offer a new perspective on Paul’s lifelong relationship with style and substance. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation for my Dancing Through the Fire book, I chat with Pippa Hall, whose time at Go! Discs saw her at the heart of Paul Weller’s solo resurgence. Pippa offers a fascinating insight into the inner workings of one of the UK’s most beloved record labels, describing the family atmosphere that made the label so special and the excitement of being part of Weller’s creative rebirth in the 1990s. We hear about the challenges of getting Paul’s music the attention it deserved in the early days, the thrill of hearing Wild Wood for the first time at The Manor, and the unforgettable experience of working on the Help album at Abbey Road. Pippa also reflects on the changing landscape of the music industry, the ups and downs of label life, and her enduring friendship with Paul. From dealing with journalists and press controversies to the personal connections that shaped her career, this conversation is packed with anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories that shed new light on a pivotal era for Paul Weller and British music. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams returns to the podcast to talk about her brand-new album Mystery Park - a deeply personal and reflective record that includes a beautiful co-write with Paul Weller, 'Gossamer Wings'. Kathryn shares the story of how the song came together, from her initial “cringe” moment of writing at Paul to their eventual collaboration, which also saw Weller add Hammond organ and backing vocals. We also revisit their earlier work together on 'So Quietly' from his 66 Supplement EP, a track that also featured legendary bassist Danny Thompson. In our wide-ranging chat, Kathryn reflects on family, songwriting, and creativity - whether that’s balancing life on the road with raising teenage sons, painting her own album cover, or uncovering the emotions behind her lyrics. We also talk about her Patreon community, live shows, and the joy of finding connection through art. Always funny, thoughtful, and generous, Kathryn offers a warm and honest insight into her music and her collaborations with Weller. Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back! Focusing on Paul Weller’s new covers album, Find El Dorado, with special guests sharing their stories and connections to the songs. Plus, exclusive episodes celebrating the release of my book – Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire: The Authorised Oral History, which has just been published! Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.