Paul Weller Fan Podcast

In this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Ted Kessler - a music writer who’s lived out the ultimate fan’s journey with Paul Weller.

As a London kid, he spent his pocket money on Jam singles and memorised the lyrics before he even owned the records. After moving to Paris, he’d receive the NME a week late, schooling himself on Weller, The Style Council, and British pop by long-distance.

Years later, Ted found himself writing for t...

My guest on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast is one of the most inventive and distinctive guitarists of his generation - the co-founder and guitarist of Blur, a prolific solo artist, and a musician whose restless creativity has taken him from Britpop to freeform jazz, from noisy riffs to tender melodies.

Graham Coxon has collaborated with Paul Weller on some fantastic projects over the years - the sharp-edged 'This Old To...

In this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I chat to Cat Santos and Sodge Adams, two of the creative minds behind Fifth Column, the pioneering screen-printing collective that helped define the look of Punk and Mod culture in late-1970s London.

Fifth Column started when a group of friends decided to design and print - by hand - punk rock t-shirts for bands like X-Ray Spex, The Clash, The Jam, and The Damned. After creating t...

Jonathan Ross has been a familiar face and voice in British broadcasting since the late 1980s. From his early days hosting Channel 4’s The Last Resort, he’s gone on to become one of the country’s most recognisable presenters, known for his sharp humour and genuine curiosity. Whether it’s chatting with global superstars on The Jonathan Ross Show, judging the wild antics on The Masked Singer, or sharing his love of film on “Reel Talk...

My guest on this episode is Paul Moody - journalist, author, musician (his band is The Studio 68!), and a man whose journey with Paul Weller’s music has spanned decades.

From discovering The Jam as a teenager in North London, to interviewing Paul for the NME during the Stanley Road era, to the DVD interviews for As Is Now and writing sleeve notes for Wake Up the Nation...

We talk about the seismic impact of The Jam, the Style Council...

This week on The Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I’m joined by Phil Bickley - founder of London menswear store Tonic and co-creator of the Paul Weller clothing label Real Stars Are Rare.

Phil’s story is a fascinating mix of music, fashion, and friendship.

We talk about how his admiration for The Style Council soundtracked his post-rave comedowns in the early ’90s, how Weller first walked into his shop and bought a belt, and how that encoun...

In this conversation for my Dancing Through the Fire book, I chat with Pippa Hall, whose time at Go! Discs saw her at the heart of Paul Weller’s solo resurgence.

Pippa offers a fascinating insight into the inner workings of one of the UK’s most beloved record labels, describing the family atmosphere that made the label so special and the excitement of being part of Weller’s creative rebirth in the 1990s.

We hear about the challenges...

Singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams returns to the podcast to talk about her brand-new album Mystery Park - a deeply personal and reflective record that includes a beautiful co-write with Paul Weller, 'Gossamer Wings'. Kathryn shares the story of how the song came together, from her initial “cringe” moment of writing at Paul to their eventual collaboration, which also saw Weller add Hammond organ and backing vocals. We also revisit ...

We’re back! Focusing on Paul Weller’s new covers album, Find El Dorado, with special guests sharing their stories and connections to the songs. Plus, exclusive episodes celebrating the release of my book – Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire: The Authorised Oral History, which has just been published!

Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com

Sir Lenny Henry is a British icon.

For decades, he’s been a force in comedy, acting, writing, and activism.

But what’s less discussed is his deep connection to music - and, in particular, his admiration for Paul Weller and The Jam, The Style Council, and Weller’s solo work.

In another real 'pinch me' moment, I caught up with Lenny for my book, Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire - The Authorised Oral History to explore this musica...

Today is the day! Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire is officially out in the world - It’s in the shops, available to order online, people are sharing photos, and Paul himself has a copy in his hands, and he loves it!

I can’t quite believe it. Thanks to everyone involved. What a ride and an honour.

Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com

...

My guest on this episode is Tim Burgess - frontman of The Charlatans, solo artist, DJ, author, and the man behind the hugely popular Twitter Listening Parties.

Long before his own band became one of the defining acts of the ’90s, Tim was a kid in the late ’70s flipping Jam singles at his dad’s youth club, soaking up every note of Paul Weller’s music.

That teenage fandom never went away.

In this episode we talk about how Paul’s songs s...

Nick Knight CBE is one of the most influential image makers of our time.

As the founder of SHOWstudio and a visionary fashion photographer, his work with designers such as Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Yohji Yamamoto, and musicians including Björk, Lady Gaga and Kanye West, has defined modern culture.

In this episode, Nick joins me to talk about his long creative relationship with Paul Weller.

From photographing The...

On this episode my guest is one of Britain’s most distinctive comedians, an award-winning stand-up, actor, writer, and the creator of the brilliant TV sitcom, Lead Balloon.

Jack Dee has always had a sharp wit, a dry outlook, and as it turns out, a deep, long-standing admiration for both Paul Weller and his music.

In this episode, a snippet of the interview recorded for my upcoming book, Jack shares how The Jam gave him an ‘alibi’ in ...

On this episode of the Paul Weller Fan Podcast, I’m joined by singer-songwriter Amelia Coburn - an artist whose distinctive voice, storytelling flair, and genre-blurring style have won her fans far beyond the folk world. Amelia’s connection to Weller began with her wonderful ukulele cover of Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, which eventually caught Paul’s ear via Shindig! magazine’s John Mills. This story leads to a beautiful c...

Declan O'Rourke is my guest on this episode of The Paul Weller Fan Podcast - another huge talent and always a delight to talk to. Warm, humorous, super-smart and clearly a huge talent.

This time around we talk Find El Dorado and the opening song - a duet between Paul and Declan - a cover of Richie Havens’ 'Handouts in the Rain' - a song that is undeniably beautiful with the juxtaposition that it reflects on humanity’s repeated failu...

This week’s guest on the Paul Weller Fan Podcast is Tony Harlow, one of the most influential figures in the modern music industry and the current Chairman & CEO of Warner Music UK.

CEO of Richard Branson’s V2 Records during Paul Weller's time at the label, their professional paths have crossed again more recently, with Paul signing back with Warner's Parlophone label for Find El Dorado.

Beyond his work with Paul Weller, T...

Paul Weller’s new album Find El Dorado, out today via Parlophone, is a reflective, quietly radical covers record reinterpreting tracks discovered through late-night listening, friends’ recommendations, and crate-digging, now given a home in his voice.

Produced by Steve Cradock, it features intimate yet polished arrangements and contributions from Declan O’Rourke, Amelia Coburn, Noel Gallagher, Seckou Keita, Robert Plant, Hannah Pee...

In this episode, I’m joined by acclaimed music journalist and broadcaster Pete Paphides to dive into Paul Weller’s new album, Find El Dorado. Pete wrote the liner notes for the album and the cover story for Uncut magazine, so he brings a unique perspective on how the project came together, the inspiration behind the track-list, and why these particular songs were chosen. We talk about Weller’s drive to celebrate lesser-known gems, ...