Paul Weller Fan Podcast

In this episode, legendary photographer Tom Sheehan shares a personal narrative that spans the arc of Paul Weller’s career, from The Jam’s charged early days right through to Weller’s solo renaissance - we take a journey through images found in his acclaimed book AIM HIGH: Paul Weller in Photographs 1978–2015.

Tom’s first encounter with Weller was as a CBS staff photographer at that infamous 1977 Rainbow punk show - dodging flying chairs and learning fast about the wild energy of the era. When he began working for the music press, Tom soon found himself taking early studio shots of The Jam, capturing not just their look but their camaraderie and focused ambition in the late '70s.

Over the next 40 years, Tom chronicled every chapter: documenting The Jam at work and play, venturing outside the studio for cold winter photo-walks through St John’s Wood, and producing iconic images as The Style Council embraced political activism and continental flair.
He shares the stories and context behind many pivotal images - studio shoots, backstage candids, on-the-road moments (and even festival shorts with blazers!).

He discusses the sometimes delicate relationship between band and lens, Paul Weller’s remarkable ease in front of the camera (“he’s just a great sitter”), and why authenticity and mutual respect were always at the core of their working dynamic. He reflects on private shoots at Black Barn and in West London record shops, his preference for quick, no-messing sessions, and the art of capturing both style and vulnerability in Weller as he moved between bands, eras, and personal highs and lows.

Tom also describes the spirit of working-class kinship and shared mod obsessions that shaped their rapport - why Weller’s forthrightness and his own direct approach gelled so naturally. Along the way, Tom talks about Weller’s enduring love of vinyl, the visual codes of musicianship and subculture, and the responsibility of creating a photographic legacy. The episode closes with thoughts on AIM HIGH, the book’s creation, and why Weller’s approval and foreword meant so much.
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In this episode, Paul Dowling - director of marketing at Go! Discs in the early ‘90s - tells the story of how he helped Paul Weller find a new home and a fresh start after The Style Council and Polydor rejected him.
A teenage Jam fan who witnessed the band’s energy first-hand, Paul started work in an indie record shop job before moving in marketing within the record industry and then landing at Go! Discs just as the label was building on it's reputation for artist-friendly culture and creative risk-taking.
Paul takes us inside the DIY campaign for 'Into Tomorrow' - Weller’s first solo single - explaining how a tight team of trusted industry figures and Weller’s own clear vision turned an independent release into a Top 40 hit, and led directly to a new label deal in the UK.
He describes hearing those early demos, smoking spliffs with Andy McDonald, and realising just how wild, raw, and ready Weller was for his comeback. Drawing on his unique perspective, Paul reflects on the label’s role in supporting Weller’s creative freedom, the transition through Wild Wood and toward Britpop’s peak, and the sheer thrill - and surprise - of working with an artist who had provided the “soundtrack of my life.”
He offers candid observations on Go! Discs’ staff, its culture of collaboration and love of music, and the shared social and political energy that ran through both the label and the acts it signed. Paul also describes the magic of that era: small teams, big nights out, and a sense that, somehow, the stars had aligned for Weller’s reinvention.
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In this conversation, John Reed - music journalist, a former Research Editor of Record Collector magazine, Director of Catalogue at Cherry Red, and author of Paul Weller: My Ever Changing Moods - takes us on a journey through the many stages of Weller’s remarkable career. Growing up entrenched in the Mod revival and drawn into The Jam’s world as a teenager, John became the “kid at school who liked The Jam,” long before he would ever dig deep into his music as a writer.

John shares stories from his early days as a fan (his first Jam shows in Brighton, his coming of age as a mod, and surviving the territorial world of Harrington jacket colours), to building a career in music journalism and becoming a trusted member of the Weller story’s inner circle. We hear his unique perspective on the trio dynamic of The Jam, his view on Bruce and Rick’s underrated contributions, and why Weller’s break-up of the band was both brave and necessary.

As a journalist and Record Collector writer, John’s work bridges the worlds of the fan and the chronicler - penning features, sleeve notes, and, ultimately, a much-loved biography. He shares what went into writing My Ever Changing Moods (often by chance: “I just made it up” - the pitch, not the research!), the responsibility of telling the story for fans, and how he balanced candidness with sensitivity. From interviewing Paul Weller during pivotal moments in the ’90s and 2000s, to discussing album sequencing, adversity, and his restless creativity, John brings the experience of both a listener and an expert.

His reflections move through Weller’s post-Jam doubts, The Style Council’s misunderstood experiments, the energy of “comeback” records like As Is Now and 22 Dreams, and a decades-long relationship balancing proximity, critique, and admiration. John also shares personal memories: a surreal night with Weller and Ocean Colour Scene, phone calls from “Paul Weller, ya c—t,” and thoughts on what would make the ultimate Weller companion release.
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In this conversation, Jun Sato - International A&R at Pony Canyon, Japan - shares the remarkable story of how he helped get Paul Weller’s solo career off the ground when everyone else had written him off. In the early 1990s, as the UK industry dismissed Weller as an ‘80s has-been, Jun trusted his own taste, his love of British blue-eyed soul, and a very special demo cassette that landed on his desk. He quickly negotiated a three-album deal with John Weller and gave Paul the artistic freedom to launch a new chapter.

Jun reflects on what it meant to sign a living legend at a crossroads, championing Paul Weller at a time when old fans in Japan were still fiercely loyal but the industry wanted “Style Council 2.0.” Determined to support Weller’s vision, he battled conservatism inside Pony Canyon, orchestrated secret club gigs to “start from the underground again,” and staged meet-and-greets that deepened the Weller-Japan love affair. Working closely with John Weller, Jun experienced both the tough negotiations and the genuine warmth of the Weller family. He oversaw the Japanese release of Paul Weller months ahead of its UK debut, watched it rocket to the top of the charts, and then promoted Wild Wood and Stanley Road as Weller’s comeback exploded into an artistic and commercial triumph.

Looking back on his unique A&R role, Jun shares memories of trust, creative freedom, and a personal connection that only grew as Paul’s career flourished. He describes the enduring backstage camaraderie, the Mod culture’s roots in Japan, and why he feels pride every time Weller thanks him publicly for believing in “chapter three.” Today, as Weller continues to innovate, Sato remains inspired - grateful for a musical journey and friendship that both changed their lives.
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In this conversation for my book, Richard Ogden - former Head of International Marketing and later Managing Director at Polydor Records - shares the inside track on the extraordinary career of Paul Weller from a label perspective. Already immersed in the music industry when The Jam exploded in 1977, Richard’s role took off in the early '80s, working directly with Polydor’s most important acts as the sound of British pop was going global. He was the architect behind international campaigns for The Style Council, traveling with the band, advocating for bigger creative ambition, and helping to broker a million-pound contract for Weller after the global success of Our Favourite Shop.

Richard recounts the challenges - and occasional frustrations - of trying to make The Style Council a truly international success, working alongside Paul and John Weller, Polydor affiliates, and US label Geffen, while always championing Paul’s right to artistic independence. He reflects on “fandom and friction” - from late-night poker games in Japan, to heated discussions about producers, tour plans, and the difficult moments when the band’s determination to follow their own path clashed with label push for bigger global hits. Richard’s story also covers the aftermath: becoming Managing Director just as contracts were up for renewal, believing in Weller’s “Springsteen-like” importance to Polydor, and sticking by him - even through commercial Risk (“the Orange album”) and shifting politics.

Throughout, Richard offers candid industry context on the ever-evolving relationship between artists and their record labels - the fine balance between creative loyalty, business risk, and the pursuit of international acclaim. He’s honest about his wins and losses, why Weller’s music endures, and why artists with true vision should always be backed - no matter where their path leads.
Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com
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