Paul Weller Fan Podcast

There is a beautiful, cosmic symmetry in bringing this podcast journey to a close.
Back in December 2020, Stuart Deabill was my very first guest, and today, he returns to close the circle for our final episode of season 3.
It feels incredibly fitting that we are bowing out by celebrating Stuart’s stunning new book, In the Shadow of the Sun: Paul Weller & the Nineties.
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In this episode, highly influential British television producer Malcolm Gerrie joins the podcast to share his incredible front-row memories of Paul Weller’s journey, spanning the historic final days of The Jam, the soul-infused rise of The Style Council, and the sheer grit of Weller's solo renaissance.

Malcolm takes us back to the early '80s and the launch of Newcastle's groundbreaking live music show The Tube. He reveals the dramatic story of how he was sworn to secrecy by plugger Clive Banks after learning that The Jam were about to split up. This inside track led to the ultimate television coup: securing the band’s exclusive, final live performance for The Tube’s legendary debut episode in 1982. Malcolm vividly recalls the sheer electric energy of that night, with Pete Townshend watching from the wings with a massive grin, as the band defied union curfews to keep playing long after the cameras stopped rolling.

He reflects on continuing this visual legacy with Weller across every music show he ever produced, including Channel 4’s Wired and the iconic Britpop-era series The White Room. Malcolm describes the magic of capturing Weller's career-defining 1995 performance of 'Talk Tonight' alongside Noel Gallagher, and why Paul's unwavering commitment to live, authentic performance made him the ultimate TV gold.

Along the way, Malcolm shares hilarious stories of his time producing the Brit Awards - including the legendary moment Paul bypassed the 'showbiz shite' by sending his dad, John Weller, up to accept his award. He also recounts Iggy Pop’s infamous see-through plastic trousers, paying Little Richard fifty grand in cash from a suitcase, and the time Jools Holland decided to interview a slightly uncomfortable Paul Weller in a Gosforth Park hotel jacuzzi.
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In this episode, acclaimed Sheffield singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Richard Hawley talks about his long-standing friendship and creative kinship with Paul Weller.
Richard takes us back to his working-class upbringing in Pitsmoor, Sheffield, where he was raised on a strict diet of '50s rock and roll, rockabilly, and R&B - until his two younger sisters took over the household’s three-watt portable record player. It was through their relentless, non-stop playing of Setting Sons, All Mod Cons, and Sound Affects that The Jam became permanently ingrained in his psyche, sparking a lifelong appreciation for Paul Weller's distinctive guitar playing and raw, uncompromising energy.
He shares the hilarious story of their first proper meeting at a festival in Spain, where he mistakenly geared up for a classic "Mods vs. Rockers" confrontation as Weller and Steve Cradock came charging across a hotel dining room. Richard reflects on their subsequent decades-long friendship, discussing the parallel experiences of losing their fathers, their shared refusal to compromise with the music industry, and their mutual respect as songwriters. He also offers a peek into his phone’s highly classified archive of raw Weller voice-note demos, explains why they've never quite managed to finish a song together in the same room, and recounts playing lap steel on the beautiful track 'I Woke Up' from Paul’s album 66.
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In this conversation, recorded for my book, legendary music manager, producer, and author Simon Napier-Bell takes us inside the creation of NOMIS Studios, the state-of-the-art Hammersmith rehearsal complex he built out of a Victorian dairy with two-foot-thick concrete walls.

Originally created to give top-tier acts a luxurious, soundproof, and private space to hone their live craft, NOMIS quickly became the beating heart of the London music scene. It was here that Simon first crossed paths with John and Paul Weller, renting Weller Snr an office and witnessing the daily coming-and-goings of the crew.

He reflects on the distinct and fascinating character of John - a man often perceived as a "rough diamond" but whom Simon found delightful, humorous, and affectionate - as well as Paul’s varying moods and legendary dislike of mime-synching on Top of the Pops.

Simon also details the striking musical and stylistic crossover between the era-defining bands he managed, like Wham!, and The Style Council, sharing his views on how Paul Weller and George Michael were parallel visionaries pulling from the same rich lineage of British blue-eyed soul, jazz-pop, and sharp visual presentation.
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In this episode, legendary photographer Tom Sheehan shares a personal narrative that spans the arc of Paul Weller’s career, from The Jam’s charged early days right through to Weller’s solo renaissance - we take a journey through images found in his acclaimed book AIM HIGH: Paul Weller in Photographs 1978–2015.

Tom’s first encounter with Weller was as a CBS staff photographer at that infamous 1977 Rainbow punk show - dodging flying chairs and learning fast about the wild energy of the era. When he began working for the music press, Tom soon found himself taking early studio shots of The Jam, capturing not just their look but their camaraderie and focused ambition in the late '70s.

Over the next 40 years, Tom chronicled every chapter: documenting The Jam at work and play, venturing outside the studio for cold winter photo-walks through St John’s Wood, and producing iconic images as The Style Council embraced political activism and continental flair.
He shares the stories and context behind many pivotal images - studio shoots, backstage candids, on-the-road moments (and even festival shorts with blazers!).

He discusses the sometimes delicate relationship between band and lens, Paul Weller’s remarkable ease in front of the camera (“he’s just a great sitter”), and why authenticity and mutual respect were always at the core of their working dynamic. He reflects on private shoots at Black Barn and in West London record shops, his preference for quick, no-messing sessions, and the art of capturing both style and vulnerability in Weller as he moved between bands, eras, and personal highs and lows.

Tom also describes the spirit of working-class kinship and shared mod obsessions that shaped their rapport - why Weller’s forthrightness and his own direct approach gelled so naturally. Along the way, Tom talks about Weller’s enduring love of vinyl, the visual codes of musicianship and subculture, and the responsibility of creating a photographic legacy. The episode closes with thoughts on AIM HIGH, the book’s creation, and why Weller’s approval and foreword meant so much.
Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com
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