I'll check out Slam Slam. Thanks for the heads up. Did you ever hear Dee's mid-90s solo album? She was one angry, pissed off woman. No doubt who the object of her spleen was. Weller was apparently doing as much coke as Noel Gallagher then, waking up in ditches, shagging around. He's faintly ridiculous now, with his grey bangs, his paunch, his permatan and his guitar hero expressions.
[Edited 10/25/07 13:23pm]

You helped out on Mr Cool's Dream? I've just ordered it.

Shapeshifter said:

Yes I helped out on the last edition; proof reading, photographs and additional information. Iain is planning a hardback edition for 2008.

http://paulwellerbook.com/default.aspx

Btw, has anybody read the new Weller biography by his long-time friend Paolo Hewitt yet??? It should be interesting as they fell out after an argument in 2006 so it seems like Hewitt has decided to play Judas and dish the dirt.
Hewitt only really made a living as a writer because of his Weller connection, I have read a few of his books and they stink. If rumours are true it's surely a case of him biting the hand that fed him for 25 years, I've met Weller on a couple of brief occasions and found him to be an aloof, tetchy man. I don't think we need Hewitt to tell us what we already suspected.
[Edited 10/25/07 16:13pm]
[Edited 10/25/07 16:14pm]

Shapeshifter said:

Dee C Lee released 4 albums in total; Shrine in 1985, Free Your Feelings under the Slam Slam monicker, Things Will Be Sweeter (the divorce album!) and Smiles which was only released in Japan but can be easily found. Weller was HEAVILY involved in both the Shrine and Slam Slam projects.
I remember a Noel Gallagher interview in which he recalled Weller coming round to his house for a drink. They were sat in his back garden by a campfire getting steadily drunk. Noel couldn't take any more and decided to go to bed, his final memory of the night as he left was of Weller stripped to the waist, dancing around the campfire shouting at the top of his voice "I'm Paul fuckin' Weller, I am... The Modfather!" or something along those lines. Sad man, up his own arse nowadays which is a shame.
[Edited 10/25/07 16:05pm]

...
Great to find so much info on The Council!!!!

My favorite SC album was Confessions Of A Pop Group:





...

I remember a Noel Gallagher interview in which he recalled Weller coming round to his house for a drink. They were sat in his back garden by a campfire getting steadily drunk. Noel couldn't take any more and decided to go to bed, his final memory of the night as he left was of Weller stripped to the waist, dancing around the campfire shouting at the top of his voice "I'm Paul fuckin' Weller, I am... The Modfather!" or something along those lines. Sad man, up his own arse nowadays which is a shame.
[Edited 10/25/07 16:05pm]

pacey68 said:

I lost all respect for the idea of Style Council when I got into a physical fight with Mick in France a couple of months ago. Thinking of it still makes me shudder.

MrSoulpower said:

sits down in fold out chair with notepad in hand

We're going to need the whole story on this!

bboy87 said:

Yeah we need to hear the full story, can't finish on that bombshell

pacey68 said:

I don't know if I already said too much. Maybe I shouldn't get into this on a public forum. Not that I care too much for what Mick says, because he still owes me an apology for his behaviour. But there's more politics behind it.
[Edited 10/27/07 11:22am]

I'd just like to add that it's great to find people who still like TSC, most are too embarrassed to admit a fondness for fear of dropping off the "cool radar". It's been good to share my knowledge of this band and hopefully inspire others to discover whate a great band they were.

Keep On Burning!

MrSoulpower said:

You can't do this, man! Give us the facts. It's anonymous here anyway. You reckon Mick Talbot hangs out there?

The Style Council-Shout To The Top

Shapeshifter said:

Ok, you are right. After all, it's Mick who made an ass out of himself in public and never apologized for it. So even if he finds out, he needs to live with it.

I work as producer/agent/manager with quite a few of James Brown's associate artists. Last August, we did a pretty big James Brown Tribute concert in Southern France. The artists were Marva Whitney, Martha High, Sweet Charles ... Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis were there too. In Europe, I often use the London based Funk group Push as backing band. Push are known because they were Galliano's band .. and Mick Talbot is Push's keyboarder. Anyway, the day had already been hectic. The band came in the night before, the hotel rooms were quite uncomfortable. Then Mick wasn't happy with the backline, although in the end, everything worked out. Rehearsal was stressful, as we had little time in the afternoon, and we worked in the French summer heat. After the show, Mick, who had been in a bad mood all day, flipped out after I complained about some of the bandmember's behaviour that day. First he started cussing me out, then he jumped to attack me in front of the promoters, the artists .. security had to get in between us and they rushed Mick away. It was an extremely embarrassing experience.

But oh well, it will only hurt Mick in the long run. All artists were shocked by his behaviour and do not want to work with him again. I have to say though that the other members of Push were very cool about it. They all apologized to me, some that day, some called later. Sadly enough, the only one who didn't apologize was Mick, and that although I was told that the next day he could not really explain himself what had gotten into him. As a consequence, I was told that Push would not work with Mick Talbot anymore - after 20 years.

I have to deal with a lot of Divas in my job. Real divas. I expect the backing musicians to be easygoing and professional. Mick however acted like he was the biggest Diva of them all. I had mad respect for the man, but that's over.

That was my little story.
[Edited 10/27/07 15:03pm]

bboy87 said:

Have you ever heard Lolleatta Holloway's cover version? It's diva-tastic!

That is a shame, I always thought he came across as a likeable guy. If the story was about Weller I would not have been surprised... but Mick?

pacey68 said:

Probably all those years hanging out with Paul.

By the way, Pacey, I've read the Paulo Hewitt book, The Changing Man. Paul doesn't come across too well, but Hewitt does sound like a bitter ex-wife.

Meanwhile, a friend of mine told me a mate of his shared a flat with Weller in London in 1979. Said Weller was a fairly unpleasant piece of work. Had more chips on his shoulder than a Walkers employee.

Shapeshifter said:

Not surprised, the oft told story of the incident in Leeds sounded very unpleasant when he was arrested circa 1980. Seems to be a man of contradictions in a similar way that Lennon was... talking about peace & love but prone to occasional violent outbursts.

pacey68 said:

Was that the punch-up with the rugby players? Or did a piece of Weller lore pass me by?

Justin1972UK said:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...YoRCXmzVfg

Were The Style Council or The Jam records released in America? I have no remembrance of either group.
[Edited 10/29/07 13:17pm]

Shapeshifter said:

Yeah, that's the one. The full story is told by Bruce and Rick in their book "Our Story" and Weller comes out of it all looking like a very vicious little sod back then

pacey68 said:

Never read that one. Wha' happened? I know Bruce helped Paul out of getting the shit kicked out of him.

Shapeshifter said:

It's been a few years since I read the book and I don't wish to be sued by misquoting the story (I recall they were serious allegations)