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The Jam

The Jam, possibly one of the greatest groups of all time, I was lucky to see them at their peak at Reading Uni in the very early 1980s.

The Jam were an English mod revival/punk rock band during the 1970s and early 1980s, which formed in Woking, Surrey. The band released 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1982, including four number one hits. 

They released one live album and six studio albums, the last of which, The Gift, hit number one on the UK Albums Chart. When the group disbanded in 1982, their first 15 singles were re-released and all placed within the top 100.

While the Jam shared the "angry young man" outlook and fast tempo of the mid-1970s British punk rock movement, in contrast with it the band wore smartly tailored suits reminiscent of English pop-bands in the early 1960s, they drew influence from the work of the Who, The Kinks and Tamla Motown. 

This placed the band at the forefront of the 1970s–1980s nascent Mod Revival movement. 

The band launched the career of Paul Weller, who went on to form the Style Council and later had a solo career. Weller wrote and sang most of the Jam's original compositions and played lead guitar. 

Bruce Foxton provided backing vocals and prominent basslines, which were the foundation of many of the band's songs, including the hits "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight", "The Eton Rifles", "Going Underground" and "Town Called Malice".

Rick Butler, provided the rhythmic drum beat upon which all else was built.

Tracks too many to mention here but these are the pick of eth crop over the years...

It all started with 'The Modern World'


'David Watts', a cover of The Kinks hit



the magnificent 'Down in the Tube Station at Midnight'



'Eton Rifles', the only single from their  'Setting Sons' album.

'Going Underground'


'Start!'


'That's Entertainment', never released as a single in the UK, nevertheless it charted basis import sales'


'Funeral Pyre'


'The Bitterest Pill (I ever had to Sallow)'



... and it ended with the sublime 'The Beat Surrender', the band's 4th No One, released in December 1982, it featured Tracie Young on backing Voclas.



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