Paul Weller
The Woking YMCA would like to announce our partnership with the internationally renowned singer and musician, Paul Weller. In November 2008 Paul Weller graciously became a patron to the Woking YMCA, to champion and protect our cause to help the young people of our area.
The Woking YMCA is a 21st Century facility that serves the young people of Woking, with a hope of seeing young peoples lives turned around, after years of disadvantaged living, poverty, abuse and unsocial behaviour. The Woking YMCA has a purpose built Youth Development Centre in the heart of Woking town centre (era 2006), known as the ‘Ypod’, providing a dedicated youth centre with drop-in café, IT suite, recording studio, performance hall, counselling rooms, office space and three meeting rooms. The Ypod runs Youth Clubs, Youth Council, Live Gigs for young people, entry employment courses, free counselling, young single parent groups and drop-in sessions for those with disabilities. We carry stronglinks with local secondary schools, the local borough council, county council, youth service, connexions service, churches and police service. We believe our partnership with Paul heralds a new season for the Woking YMCA and would like to thank him publicly and welcome him on board. With that in mind, we have written a brief biography.
Our patron Paul Weller was born on the 25th May 1958 in Sheerwater, Woking. A prolific singer/song writer and “Modfather” of the 1970-2000s, his successful career made The Jam, The Style Council and his own solo career iconic. Paul’s first band The Jam were simply the best British band since The Beatles –(who also became honorary members of Woking YMCA!) and The Who. Sources agree that Paul fathered other British Pop groups Oasis and Ocean Coloured Scene adding further to his notoriety and legend. Not to mention Pauls other accomplishments with Band Aid (1984) and The Smokin’ Mojo Filters (a collaboration with Noel Gallagher and Paul McCartney, 1995). The Jam were the biggest British band since The Beatles
Weller was born into a working class-family. His father (a former boxer) worked hard scaffolding and bricklaying, and his mother helped make ends meet, cleaning homes. Though parts of Woking were flourishing, living in Sheerwater and a lack of opportunity meant times were tough for the Wellers. Raised on Stanley Road, Paul’s Victorian Council house was small and cramped, having neither central heating or hot running water. But despite the hard upbringing, Paul valued his community and remained optimistic. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Paul said “People down our street, we had [nothing], but everybody looked out for one another. You'd go and check on your neighbour if you hadn't seen them for a few days, and you didn't have break-ins because there was nothing to nick. There was a sense of community and a sense of roots - Paul Weller (centre) the Jam 1981.
what you're all about. And I think that's really important to people and that some of that has gone missing.” The area that Paul was raised, Sheerwater has grown some since 1958, but despite evident prosperity in other parts of Woking, this forgotten area still remains an area of poverty, registered in the bottom 20% of the UK income bracket.
Paul’s circumstances growing up were against him, but that did not stop him from dreaming. Despite the evident poverty of Sheerwater, Paul decided to work hard, overcome the trials and pursue the one thing that mattered to him: to be a popular musician and have a renowned band. “I've seen the other side growing up - all the trials and tribulations my folks went through to provide rent and put food on the table…But I've got a strong sense of where I've come from. Anything I've got materialistically in life I know I've worked hard for” . And so, inspired by 1970s pop, its images, its sounds and its stardom, Paul set himself a goal and pursued it with everything he had. And as we know the young Woking lad was more than a dreamer, he was a finisher. “ I've got a strong sense of where I've come from. Anything I've got materialistically in life I know I've worked hard for…”
Weller’s positive self-image separated him from the crowd. Weller was different because he expressed his positive self-image not just through a passionate pursuit of music but also fashion. Described as having a ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of teenage tribal styles’, Paul can apparently describe every item he ever wore. In an interview Paul recounted the story of an older lad in Woking who was the ‘epitome of style’ . Because of such examples Paul also wanted to express himself confidently through trend setting clothing. Wearing Levi, Fred Perry and Tonik in the 1970s was not frivolous for Paul, but a way of preparing for his goals.
“It sounds… [over confident] but I always knew I would make it” When asked for one thing that helped him succeed, Paul attributed his career success to his father’s strong guidance and management. From 1975-2003 his father (a regular guy from Sheerwater, Woking) managed the Jam, the Style Council and his solo career. He walked the journey with him, encouraging him, offering advice and perspective when it was needed most. He believed that his father’s strong coaching meant he could handle the highs and lows, “my dad. A strong man… mentally strong” .
In 1973 Weller performed his first gig at Walton Road Working Man’s Club. The Jam was formed, and their popularity was becoming evident. At “The Red Cow” pub in Hammersmith London this unknown band were attracting crowds. By 1977 Poloydor Records signed the group and within the year they featured on Top of the Pops. The first single “In the City” gave them a Top 40 in 1977, “Eton Rifles” hit No.3 in 1979 and they got a No.1 with “Going Underground” in 1980. “Town called Malice” and “Precious” were such hits that they were the only
group other than the Beatles, Oasis and Manic Street Preachers to perform two hit singles on the popular show Top of the Pops. However by 1982 The Jam disbanded and their final concerts were sell-outs (Wembley Arena & Brighton Centre).
In 1983 Paul collaborated with keyboard player Mick Talbot to form new group The Style Council. Their new sound was more soulful jazz/pop style that emerged with other vanguard groups like Sade, Everything but the Girl and Tracey Thorn. “A Solid Bond in Your Heart”, “Soul Deep” and “You’re the best thing” were successful in the UK, the USA, Australia and even Germany. “I think it’s important to keep your eye on the real prize in life”
By 1989 Weller went solo remerging in the brit-pop movement of the 1990s. His first album self-titled “Paul Weller” was a No.1 album, “Stanley Road” (an album attributed to his upbringing in Sheerwater, Woking.) and “Wild Wood” were critically hailed as return to a more purist guitar sound revealing a newfound maturity. Paul “the Modfather” even featured in Oasis’ hit song “Champagne Supernova” as guest guitarist and backing vocalist. The successful “Heavy Soul” album featured live recordings in the studio, “Heliocentric” (2000) then paved the way for the No.1 Album “Illumination” in 2002. In 2006 Paul was lauded ‘one of Britains finest songwriters’ and garlanded with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BRIT AWARDS in 2006. Today as an ambassador for Brit Pop and iconic figure of the Mod era, Paul’s career is still burning bright . He even found time to feature on the Jools Holland Show performing “I heard it through the Grapevine” with Amy Winehouse earlier this year.
Even in such an exciting career Paul always devoted time to charity work. In fact Paul was often regarded as a spokesman for his generation. In 1981 at the height of their worldwide appeal The Jam play a fund raising gig at the WOKING YMCA. But with The Jams fame came responsibility, Paul recently spoke of that time saying “Being the spokesman for a generation and all that sort of stuff, and only being 22. It was like, I haven't even really lived yet!” In 1982 The Jam gave a free concert at the Jobs not Yops demonstration at CLP. In 1984 Weller featured in Band Aids “Do they know its Christmas?” Further to that Weller put together a charity ensemble called The Council Collective to raise money for miners (the trade unions were leading national strikes in a turbulent era of Britain). In 1985 The Style Council played ‘Live Aid’ at Wembley Stadium. In 1995 Paul collaborated with Noel Gallagher and Paul McCartney to form a group called The Smokin’ Mojo Filters releasing a charity version of The Beatles “Come together” in aid of Bosnian children. In 2003 Paul gave his support to a Cancer Support Charity, called “Check em’ lads”.
“Look at yourself and say where am I going, what am I doing, what else can I achieve – you have to have all those questions” Paul Weller, 2008. Today the Woking YMCA’s partnership with Paul Weller is based on our shared vision to see Wokings young people transformed. And coming from Sheerwater Woking, Paul certainly knows the hardships and what is needed to overcome. For many young people of Woking are still raised in an environment of social, physical or mental abuse, others are blacklisted at school as “bad”, “hopeless” and a “waste”. They are not given a chance. So together with our new patron, we believe that our programmes will give the young people of Woking a second chance, in fact many more chances.
Paul Weller has quite simply achieved what the YMCA encourages in our young people: that is ambition, character, sacrifice, generosity and fulfilment. His example is an inspiration to the next generation. With our patron we at the YMCA Woking will give young people a place to belong, a team that encourages them, believe in them, and build them up. And we know that this positive environment will cause these young people to work toward a hope and a future.
A special thank you to Polly Birkbeck for making this possible.
Paul Weller’s ‘Paul Weller Live at the BBC’ is now available at islandtunes.co.uk. The set comprises 18years of Paul Weller’s BBC recordings, digitally remastered, exclusive BBC sessions, live concert tracks, classic hits, rare songs, and covers. This fantastic new archive charts Pauls solo career . See Paul talk of about his career at youtube.com/paulwellertv.
