The self styled modfather Paul Weller followed up The Jam and The Style Council with a run of solo albums reaching his commercial peak with 1995’s ‘Stanley Road.’ This September, Island release a box sets comprises the first 5 albums from Paul Weller’s solo career as it gathered pace.
“Paul Weller – Classic Album Selection: Vol 1” is released on 8th September as a nifty box set CD collection and also available digitally. The box set includes the albums; 1. Paul Weller (Island) 1992, 2. Wild Wood (Island) 1993, 3. Stanley Road (Island) 1995, 4. Heavy Soul (Island) 1997, 5. Heliocentric (Island) 2000, the full tracklisting is below. Here are some teaser videos for this collection;
It was a few years after disbanding The Style Council in 1989 before Paul Weller released his first, eponymous, solo album for his new label Go! Discs in 1992. It was a top 10 album and marked a return to his first love, ’60s Soul and RnB. The follow up, Wild Wood, launched him on a run of critical and commercial success: The album went to #2 in the U.K. and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize; its multi platinum, million seller successor, Stanley Road (featuring guest appearances by Steve Winwood and Noel Gallagher), spawned two top 10 singles (“The Changing Man,” #7, and “You Do Something to Me,” #9), went to #1 and he picked up BRIT Award for Best Male Artist (which he won again the following year). 1997’s Heavy Soul saw Weller twist his sound again to take him back to the top of the charts (#2 U.K.) and 2000s Heliocentric (erroneously rumoured to be his last album at the time) which was a much lighter affair did the same, seeing him peak again at number 2.’
About the albums:
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Paul Weller (Island) 1992
Having split the Style Council and left his record label –Polydor, Paul was at something of a crossroads. Forming the Paul Weller Movement, he began playing live shows again. He released the first solo single –Into Tomorrow in 1990, on the small Freedom High label. Its modest (by his standards) top-40 chart placing secured a deal with new label –Go! Discs, who released the album in 1992.
Paul re-established his soul and r’n’b roots and influences with the new material, as well as his love of Curtis Mayfield, Steve Winwood, Funkadelic, Blue Note jazz records and new groups, such as Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest.
It includes the hit singles -Above The Clouds, Uh Huh Oh Yeh & Into Tomorrow, reaching no. 8 on the UK album chart, this eponymous solo debut is one of Weller’s most under-rated, charming and important albums in his solo career.
“I still really like the record -we weren’t making it for any other reason than to
make a record and it re-introduced real music to a lot of people again in the
way it was made. We were coming out of the technology of the ’80s, with those
sterile recording methods, and it became about musicians playing live again
and enjoying the experience.” Paul Weller -2009
Wild Wood (Island) 1993
Paul Weller re-established his place at music’s top table with this life-affirming, second solo album – gaining the nickname ‘Modfather’ reflecting his revered status within the UK ‘Britpop’ movement. There was a feeling of stretching out with more diverse influences –particularly the pastoral British folk/pop of Nick Drake, Traffic,
Van Morrison and even Crosby, Stills,Nash &(particularly Neil Young!).
The hugely successful album features the classic hit singles Wild Wood, Sunflower, Hung Up, The Weaver and Out Of The Sinking. The result is his first true masterwork since ending The Jam.
“Everything seemed exciting, fresh and new. It was almost like starting over. I wasn’t
making Wild Wood for anyone else. I was making it for myself. And it was a very
positive and creative time. I have very fond memories of it.” Paul Weller, 2007
Stanley Road (Island) 1995
Weller’s landmark, multi-platinum selling No. 1 album which stayed 87 weeks in the chart. It spawned the classic hits ‘The Changing Man’, ‘You Do Something To Me’ and ‘Broken Stones’. It’s a timeless record, full of great tunes and very personal lyrics. Also includes a stunning rendition of Dr John’s “I Walk on Gilded Splinters” featuring Noel Gallagher on guitar. The album also features legendary British musician Steve Winwood on two tracks. The album’s famous cover collage was created by the British pop-artist Peter Blake, designer of The Beatles’ legendary Sgt Pepper’s album artwork.The album’s title comes from the street in Woking where Weller grew up.
“Essentially it’s all the great things about ’92’s debut solo album magnified and
put through a multi-coloured shaker of mod cool, and then filmed in Woking”
NME May 1995
Heavy Soul (Island) 1997
After Stanley Road came the more ‘rootsy’, stripped-down style of Heavy Soul, once again the influence of British ‘blues-rock’ -Free, Spooky Tooth, Cat Stevens shone through (perhaps no coincidence that the album appeared on Island Records label!).
Weller’s typical soul and R&B influences are filtered through 1960s psychedelia, and folk -Up in Suze’s Room is a hazy, gem, the soulful apology I Should Have Been There to Inspire You is deeply affecting. The album included hit singles -Brushed, Friday Street, the jaunty 60s-inspired Mermaids and the riotous, Jam-like Peacock Suit.
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Heliocentric (Island) 2000
A fascinating and often overlooked album, Weller’s 5th
solo record includes the beautiful ballad Frightened, the psychedelic grandeur of Love-Less and the epic Dust And Rocks, re-introduced into his live set recently, and the magnificently strange There’s No Drinking After You’re Dead.
Sadness and regret underpin themes of the album, but there’s also humour,
affection, and, ultimately, optimism running through it, with a varied and slightly
experimental feel in its songs and performances. Features hit singles –the rocker -He’s The Keeper, and catchy Sweet Pea, My
Sweet Pea.
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Tracklistings:
Paul Weller (Island) 1992
1. Uh Huh Oh Yeh
2. I Didn’t Mean To Hurt You
3. Bull-Rush
4. Round And Round
5. Remember How We Started
6. Above The Clouds
7. Clues
8. Into Tomorrow
9. Amongst Butterflies
10. The Strange Museum
11. Bitterness Rising
12. Kosmos
Wild Wood (Island) 1993
1. Sunflower
2. Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)
3. Wild Wood
4. Instrumental One (part 1)
5. All The Pictures On The Wall
6. Has My Fire Really Gone Out?
7. Country
8. Instrumental Two
9. 5th Season
10. The Weaver
11. Instrumental One (part 2)
12. Foot Of The Mountain
13. Shadow Of The Sun
14. Holy Man (reprise)
15. Moon On Your Pyjamas
16. Hung Up
Stanley Road (Island) 1995
1. The Changingman
2. Porcelain Gods
3. I Walk On Gilded Splinters
4. You Do Something to me
5. Woodcutters Son
6. Time Passes
7. Stanley Road
8. Broken Stones
9. Out Of The Sinking
10. Pink On White Walls
11. Whirlpool’s End
12. Wings Of Speed
Heavy Soul (Island) 1997
1. Heavy Soul (Pt. 1)
2. Peacock Suit
3. Up In Suze’s Room
4. Brushed
5. Driving Nowhere
6. I Should Have Been There To Inspire You
7. Heavy Soul (Pt. 2)
8. Friday Street
9. Science
10. Golden Sands
11. As You Lean Into The Light
12. Mermaids
Heliocentric (Island) 2000
1. He’s The Keeper
2. Frightened
3. Sweet Pea, My Sweet Pea
4. A Whale’s Tale
5. Back In The Fire
6. Dust And rocks
7. There’s No Drinking, After You’re Dead
8. With Time And Temperance
9. Picking Up Sticks
10. Love-Less
