Suburban 100

Weller first burst onto the national music scene in 1977 with his first band, THE JAM and 2007 heralds their 30 year anniversary.Their single IN THE CITY took the band into the UK Top 40 for the first time in May 1977. In 1980 THE JAM hit number one for the first time with what many believe to be the definitive Paul Weller song, GOING UNDERGROUND, which was to become in effect the band's signature tune. By the early 1980s, The Jam had become possibly the biggest band in Britain. They became the only band other than The Beatles to perform two songs (TOWN CALLED MALICE and PRECIOUS) on one edition of TOP OF THE POPS (the feat would later also be equalled by OASIS and MANIC STREET PREACHERS) At the beginning of 1983 Weller formed a new group called THE STYLE COUNCIL, a band at the vanguard of the jazz/pop revival. Weller successfully joined the 'Britpop' movement that gave rise to such bands as OASIS and BLUR. Oasis in particular cited being heavily influenced by THE JAM. Fans and critics hail Paul's 1994 album WILD WOOD as one of his finest. The number one selling 1995 album STANLEY ROAD took Paul back to the top of the British charts, and went on to become the best selling album of his career. The album was named after the street in Woking where he had grown up.