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Am I Alone In Thinking The Jam Were Poor?

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I have read so many references to the Jam since I joined Soul Source, that even a dyed in the wool, totally Northern Soul and Motown only, junkie like myself realises that I will upset some people here, but what is the attraction with The Jam?

To be honest I think they are poor. The music has nothing to do with Northern Soul and I just can't see the attraction.

I've been on the scene since 70/71, so I missed "the Jam route onto the scene", but I can't see how listening to this type of music would turn anyone on to Northern?

I am not trying to put them, or anyone's taste in music down, I am honestly mystified by this.

Shall I put a tin hat on?

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Am I Alone In Thinking The Jam Were Poor? :thumbsup:

What have they to do with Northern Soul? Fcuk all. Other than a lot of revivalist mods from the eighties that liked the jam also discovered and liked northern soul.

I quite like there early stuff but simsys right f*** all to do with the soul scene :thumbsup: .

I have read so many references to the Jam since I joined Soul Source, that even a dyed in the wool, totally Northern Soul and Motown only, junkie like myself realises that I will upset some people here, but what is the attraction with The Jam?

To be honest I think they are poor. The music has nothing to do with Northern Soul and I just can't see the attraction.

I've been on the scene since 70/71, so I missed "the Jam route onto the scene", but I can't see how listening to this type of music would turn anyone on to Northern?

I am not trying to put them, or anyone's taste in music down, I am honestly mystified by this.

Shall I put a tin hat on?

i don't think any of us of that generation listened to the jam and thought, 'ah, the logical progression now is to northern soul', brian (though they did cover sweet soul music and back in my arms again on early b-sides).

we were (probably all) mod revivalists who either stayed hardcore mods or became scooterists or soulies.

whatever route you went, you went to events - mod rallies, scooterist rallies, local scooter club events - where you heard northern soul played alongside the meteors, king kurt and ska (and, later, chart music). by then, most people had drifted away from the jam (they split in 1982, don't forget) and they were just a part of our past.

obviously, i think they were great but i say that having started listening to them aged 10 and having grown up with them. i doubt, if i hadn't had that history, whether i'd think they were al that great. it's nostalgia, as much as anything. i'd say they recorded 10 great tracks and the rest ranged from good to dire

dan

my fave band of all time :thumbsup:

i would never had got into northern soul if it wasnt for the jam.

they had the passion and above all they had good taste. they name-checked soul artists regularly and covered some soul classics. if you were a fan it was inevitable you would listen to weller and check out his 'type' of music.

i suppose its an age thing. if you got into soul in the early 70s i doubt the jam would have had much appeal.

Shane

i would never had got into northern soul if it wasnt for the jam.

Shane

So they're to blame :thumbsup:

ady croadsell was their warm up dj for the live shows :thumbsup:

Shane

ps not sure how many times he did tho :D

ady croadsell was their warm up dj for the live shows :thumbsup:

Shane

ps not sure how many times he did tho :D

Actually, I was the main warm-up DJ for their later shows - I started off doing them with Ady (who, admittedly, did land us the gig in the first place) but he was 'otherwise occupied' after the first two or three we did together (the shows at the Sobell Centre and Hammersmith Palais were they, around the time of "A Town Called Malice". After that I did all the UK dates, through to their final one at the Brighton Centre - some 20+ shows on my own in all...

Anyone doubting this can hear my voice at the beginning of the "Trans-Global Unity Express" tour video, introducing a record...

TONE

PS: The Jam were many things, but one thing they NEVER were was 'poor'. They made one of the greatest sequences of Pop 45s ever made outside of the Beatles. Whether or not you feel they had any influnce on people's journeys into soul, you can never, ever dispute their immense contributions to music in general...

Dig a bit deeper and you'll find covers of lots of soul tunes in their back catalogue

You'll also find some fantastic horn-sections and soulful backing

The Style Council (Weller's apres-Jam project) created some of the best Soul-Mod-Jazz music ever made

They sometimes wore nice scarves

If it wasn't for them the Northern Soul scene would be a much quieter place

The Jam's version of Stoned out of my Mind is better than the Chi-Lites

They give us another option when we've exhausted the soul 45s at our after-parties

World Column's So Is The Sun is a completely shameless rip-off of The Jam's Transglobal Express

Paul Weller the main man of The Jam was a fan of northern soul himself and penned the tune that was just recorded with Dean Parrish on vocals - left right and center - at the tender age of 15 i believe (i stand to be corrected) and has covered a fair view NS in his time on recorded format and in live performances, i am a big fan of the jam and as like many my route into NS was a progression through the mod scene in the 80`s but the link of The Jam and NS has nothing else in common really,

im not sure if that makes it clearer to understand but for many of my friends it was the same for them too.

one minute a mod the next it was our first taste of NS about 1982ish, well iam only a baby at 38 still

bearsy

I was into Northern Soul before I had heard of the Jam. As a soulie I tended to shy away from the charts, so only got to hear them at mates houses. While I agree with most on here they were a great band. Like all bands they also did a few turkeys, But Thick as Thieves, is just about as good as it gets.

Say what you like about the Jam, they were tight. I mean, just listen to the drum and bass on the intro to "Start". That playing is about as mean as you can get, and I'm certain the Funk Brothers would have doffed their caps at it.

I have read so many references to the Jam since I joined Soul Source, that even a dyed in the wool, totally Northern Soul and Motown only, junkie like myself realises that I will upset some people here, but what is the attraction with The Jam?

To be honest I think they are poor. The music has nothing to do with Northern Soul and I just can't see the attraction.

I've been on the scene since 70/71, so I missed "the Jam route onto the scene", but I can't see how listening to this type of music would turn anyone on to Northern?

I am not trying to put them, or anyone's taste in music down, I am honestly mystified by this.

Shall I put a tin hat on?

Well said Brian. :thumbsup:

The Jam were totally irrelevant and had absolutely nothing to do with any flavour of soul music whatsoever.

Nice, safe, middle class pop stars - the Mum's favourite!

J.

I was out with one of my '40 something' Sales Reps, a few months ago, and he had the Wellers "Studio 150" album on in the Motor.

I couldn't believe the tracklisting.

"If I Could Only Be Sure"

"The Bottle"

"Hercules"

"Dont Make Promises" and others.

He was all in a lather abour the 'Soulfulness' of Wellers 'Performance' ... so I did the poor lad a favour with a CD of the original versions - by NF Porter, Gil Scott Heron, Aaron Neville, ZZ Hill etc.

He hasn't looked back since.

I guess if artists such as PW want to 'pay tribute' to Soul Music by covering Soul classics, then it can sometimes open doors to 'the real deal' for many music lovers. It's just such a p**sser when the inferior cover gets the plaudits (...and the green).

Were the Jam poor?... I don't think so... Probably made a bl**dy fortune!

Sean

Say what you like about the Jam, they were tight. I mean, just listen to the drum and bass on the intro to "Start". .

Tight, but a clear rip off of 'Taxman' by the Beatles. As Weller admitted. As was the intro to Town called mallice a rip off of 'I'm ready for love' by Martha & the Vandellas.

Nice, safe, middle class pop stars - the Mum's favourite!

J.

Dunno about that John. Don't see many mum's in the crowd in the clip below.

No prizes for guessing the venue ..

Edited by Simsy

We were into Northern Soul, The Jam were a punk band, poles apart. Then I bought the first album, which wasn't great, the second, which was worse, the third and fourth were great though. I saw them at Wolvo Civic in 1980 and they were the best live band I ever saw, never seen one better since then either, the amount of power they got for a 3 piece was phenomenal. Never associated them with anything to do with northern soul though...

I disagree that they were poor.

As mainstream pop acts went The Jam were pretty decent.

Weller was responsible for some very good pop songs which stand up reasonably well even today.

Not much to do with rare soul, I agree, but many were moved to delve deeper as a result of their cover versions and press interviews.

Edited by sweeney

anything to do with northern soul though...

Or mods,either :thumbsup:

sillyness edited out.

Edited by ken

Nothing to do with Northern Soul as others have said. For me, they reminded me of the Small Faces at their best. And like a lot of others on this forum, I would think, The Small Faces were a band that people listened to alongside the 60s Soul stars. By the time I was into what would become Northern Soul, The Small Faces had had their day as far as I was concerned. When I first heard the Jam they gave me the same kind of buzz that the early Faces had.

Well said Brian. :thumbsup:

The Jam were totally irrelevant and had absolutely nothing to do with any flavour of soul music whatsoever.

Nice, safe, middle class pop stars - the Mum's favourite!

J.

i thought that was Motown :thumbsup::P

Shane

Or mods,either :thumbsup:

So whom do you suppose the term 'Modfather' belongs to then soppy bollox? :thumbsup:

Edited by Simsy

So whom do you suppose the term 'Modfather' belongs to then soppy bollox? :thumbsup:

Well i woudnt call him that,who called him that?, :thumbsup:

Edited by ken

I have read so many references to the Jam since I joined Soul Source, that even a dyed in the wool, totally Northern Soul and Motown only, junkie like myself realises that I will upset some people here, but what is the attraction with The Jam?

To be honest I think they are poor. The music has nothing to do with Northern Soul and I just can't see the attraction.

I've been on the scene since 70/71, so I missed "the Jam route onto the scene", but I can't see how listening to this type of music would turn anyone on to Northern?

I am not trying to put them, or anyone's taste in music down, I am honestly mystified by this.

Shall I put a tin hat on?

Could'nt agree more, punk shit...the modfather....yeah righty ho :angry:

Lenny

the Jam and every thing associated with Paul Weller can do no wrong i have been a fan all my life but must admit apart from Paul obvious love for soul music there are little comparisions between the two.

the Jam have their own major part to play in my musical taste and i was a Jam fan way before been introduced to northern soul, but would nt say that influence my love of northern at all

got to agree with Andy bb though Paul has a lovely selection of scarves especially the spotty ones. :thumbsup:

Well i woudnt call him that,who called him that?,

Results 1 - 10 of about 101,000 for modfather. (0.19 seconds

paul weller went to the casino - thats about it i think

When's he supposed to have gone to the Casino?

When's he supposed to have gone to the Casino?

Like most muso's about 30 seconds after he heard it was trendy? :thumbsup:

The Jam, poor :thumbsup:

I have just started to really get into The Jam. Like others, I have never really seen the links between them and soul (although obviously there are!), but I still think they're absolutely fantastic!

Becky

Results 1 - 10 of about 101,000 for modfather. (0.19 seconds

10,000 new mods i supose,they`ve never been mods........ :thumbsup: ,i`ve got loads of jam stuff,all punk :thumbsup: even there soul covers :P

Modfathers here, modfathers there, modfathers every f**kin where!

:thumbsup::P

There's only 1 :thumbsup:

There's only 1 :P

Does he wear Jam shoes,as a fashion statement laughable :P ,no self respectin` mod would be seen dead in em`,and lets not forget he invented bowling shoe`s :thumbsup: John alden`s post,is more N/Soul...............great "Bib&Brace". :thumbsup:

Edited by ken

jam are ok but i always prefered marmalade..... ob-la-di-ob-la-da..ya know it makes sense :thumbsup: .

best, bri.

I like many already loved soul music by the time Punk/New Wave arrived. But for about 4 years had a great time going to gigs to see groups like The Jam, The Stranglers and, The Clash. It was the rawness and energy they displayed on stage and on record. Gloucester had a strong punk scene and even it's own home grown band Demob, formed entirley by guys who had already be going to Wigan and Yate for some years. It was a moment in time and these groups caught your imagination.

well seeing as the Jam bugger all to do with Northern then, shouldn't this be in freebasing, or better still on some mod forum :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Okay okay: Results 1 - 10 of about 27,700 for "paul weller" modfather. (0.21 seconds)

Still a shitload .. now go and google all those no marks, individually :thumbsup:

Should be in freebasin`,he`s got sod all to do with soul,well not the real stuff,anyway :thumbsup: .

Does he wear Jam shoes,as a fashion statement laughable :thumbsup: ,no self respectin` mod would be seen dead in em`,

Proud of my pair mate. Though I was the Sawbridgeworth face! :thumbsup:

Should be in freebasin`,he`s got sod all to do with soul,well not the real stuff,anyway :thumbsup: .

Agree, but oddly Keb has booked him rather than Butch at his new Northern Soul nites, cuz he says he is more of a star than Butch

But more fun methinks that debating whether or not Thatcher ever made a modern instrumental that was soulful and who played it first under what cover up title!!!

J.

Not wrong there John. :thumbsup:

Silly post!

Edited by ken

well seeing as the Jam bugger all to do with Northern then, shouldn't this be in freebasing, or better still on some

mod forum :thumbsup::thumbsup:

For God's sake don't wish that one on us. It used to be a daily topic for years.

Anyway, this is a Mod forum of sorts isn't it? Seeing as how if it wasn't for Mods there wouldn't be a Northern Soul scene...

Anyway, this is a Mod forum of sorts isn't it? Seeing as how if it wasn't for Mods there wouldn't be a Northern Soul scene...

:thumbsup::P:P:P:thumbsup:

Very silly post!!

Edited by ken

Anyway, this is a Mod forum of sorts isn't it? Seeing as how if it wasn't for Mods there wouldn't be a Northern Soul scene...

quality :thumbsup:

its us youngsters who make it what is is today :thumbsup:

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