Sunday, May 20, 2018

New England Jam Chowder

OK, as promised let's get this second of two consecutive weekend Rock posts happening.
 This bad boy was captured 36 years ago this evening and features one of that -- or any, really -- era's most cracking ensembles.
Their leader, who's fronted other beloved bands as well as his own now for many's the decade, turns 60 on Friday next, so this post can proxy as a tribute to his topnotch career output as well.
This set dates from quite the predicament for this band. They had built a reputation as the '60s Mod Revival group, and had tasted mainstream success on both sides of the Atlantic with it, but as they matured the Motown and Soul influences of their frontman kind of took over and drove a wedge between them.
Not too many groups break up with a record at #1, but that's how it happened with Paul Weller and The Jam, whose 1982 LP The Gift featured a couple of megahits and saw them go out at the top of the English charts.
This balls-to-the-wall concert, sourced from a delicious pre-broadcast reel and never legitimately issued, finds our heroes at the legendary Orpheum Theater in Boston, cranking out monster jams -- in the company of a horn section, no less, indicating to where Weller would helm his next group, The Style Council -- old and new for a hyper-enthused crowd.
The Jam  
Orpheum Theater 
Boston, Massachusetts
5.20.1982

01 radio intro and interview
02 Circus 
03 Start
04 Pretty Green 
05 In the Crowd
06 That's Entertainment
07 Tales from the Riverbank
08 Carnation
09 A Town Called Malice
10 Move On Up
11 David Watts
12 Private Hell
13 Ghosts
14 When You’re Young 
15 The Gift
16 radio outro and interviews 

Total time: 53:37

Paul Weller – guitar, vocals, keyboards
Bruce Foxton – bass, vocals
Rick Buckler – drums, percussion
with
Pete Wilson – keyboards and harmonica
Keith Thomas - saxophone
Steve Nichol – trumpet

"Captured Live" radio broadcast series, 
pre-FM reel tape
If you love these guys there is simply no way you can afford to miss this show, and if you don't know them this is a great place to start.
 I shall return this week with yet more dollops of dopeness for your dowry, but for now we wish Paul Weller a milestone 60th b'day on Friday and a happy 36th birthday today as well for this burning hour of yummy, late-period Jam!--J.