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John William Weller (born 25 May 1958), better known as Paul Weller, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame in the late 1970s as the guitarist and principal singer and songwriter of the rock band
the Jam The Jam were an English rock band formed in 1972 in Woking, Surrey, consisting of Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler. They released 18 consecutive top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in ...
, alongside
Bruce Foxton Bruce Douglas Foxton (born 1 September 1955) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Foxton's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as bassist and backing vocalist of mod revival band the Jam. ...
and
Rick Buckler Paul Richard Buckler (6 December 1955 – 17 February 2025) was an English musician who was the drummer of the rock band the Jam. Although the Jam's creative output came to be attributed primarily to Paul Weller, its rhythm section of Buckle ...
. The band gained significant critical and commercial success in the United Kingdom, and were the most influential band of the
mod revival The mod revival is a subculture that started in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and later spread to other countries (to a lesser degree). The Mod Revival started with disillusionment with the punk scene when commercialism set in. It was f ...
of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Following the dissolution of the Jam at the end of 1982, Weller formed
the Style Council The Style Council were an English pop band formed in Woking in 1982 by Paul Weller, the former lead vocalist, principal songwriter and guitarist with the rock band the Jam, and keyboardist Mick Talbot, previously a member of Dexys Midnight Ru ...
with
Mick Talbot Michael Talbot (born 11 September 1958) is an English keyboardist. He was a co-founder of the Style Council with Paul Weller, and has also been a member of Dexys Midnight Runners, the Merton Parkas and The Bureau (band), the Bureau. Career ...
, where he explored a wide variety of other musical styles, including pop, jazz, soul, hip hop, folk and classical. Although initially successful, the band's popularity declined in the late 1980s, leading them to break up in 1989. Weller began a solo career in the early 1990s, slowly re-establishing his commercial standing across his first four solo albums, ''
Paul Weller John William Weller (born 25 May 1958), better known as Paul Weller, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame in the late 1970s as the guitarist and principal singer and songwriter of the rock band the Jam, alongside ...
'' (1992), ''
Wild Wood ''Wild Wood'' is the second solo studio album by Paul Weller, released in September 1993. It made it to number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and contained four UK hits: "Wild Wood (Paul Weller song), Wild Wood", which reached number 14 on the UK ch ...
'' (1993), ''
Stanley Road ''Stanley Road'' is the third solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter and musician Paul Weller, released by Go! Discs in 1995. The album took its name from the street in Woking where Weller grew up. Weller's cover version of the song ...
'' (1995) and '' Heavy Soul'' (1997). Although Weller has received international critical recognition as a singer, lyricist and guitarist, he is most famous in his native country, as his songwriting is rooted in
English society English society comprises the group behaviour of the English people, and of collective social interactions, organisation and political attitudes in England. The social history of England evidences many social and societal changes over the hist ...
. Many of his songs with the Jam had lyrics about
working class The working class is a subset of employees who are compensated with wage or salary-based contracts, whose exact membership varies from definition to definition. Members of the working class rely primarily upon earnings from wage labour. Most c ...
life. He was the principal figure of the 1970s and 1980s mod revival, often referred to as the Modfather, and an influence on many subsequent British
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
and
Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s United Kingdom, British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. Musically, Britpop produced bright, catchy alternative rock, with significant influences from British guitar pop of the 1960s and 1970s. B ...
artists, such as
Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environmentBrit Awards, including Best British Male three times, and the 2006 Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.


Early life (1958–1975)

Weller was born on 25 May 1958 in
Woking Woking ( ) is a town and borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in north-west Surrey, England, around from central London. It appears in Domesday Book as ''Wochinges'', and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settleme ...
,
Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...
, England, to John and Ann Weller (née Craddock). Although born John William Weller, he became known as Paul by his parents. Weller's father worked as a taxi driver and a builder and his mother was a part-time cleaner. He started his education at Maybury County First School. His love of music began with
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
, then
the Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
and the
Small Faces Small Faces were an English Rock music, rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966 ...
. When Weller was eleven he moved up to Sheerwater County Secondary school and had started playing the guitar. Weller's musical vocation was confirmed after seeing
Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the curren ...
in concert in 1972. He formed the first incarnation of the Jam, playing bass guitar with his school friends Steve Brookes (lead guitar), Dave Waller (rhythm guitar) and Neil Harris (drums), playing sets at school and their local
youth club A youth center or youth centre, often called youth club, is a place where young people can meet and participate in a variety of activities, for example table football, association football (US soccer, UK football), basketball, table tennis, v ...
. When Harris and then Waller left the band, two more school friends replaced them:
Rick Buckler Paul Richard Buckler (6 December 1955 – 17 February 2025) was an English musician who was the drummer of the rock band the Jam. Although the Jam's creative output came to be attributed primarily to Paul Weller, its rhythm section of Buckle ...
on drums and
Bruce Foxton Bruce Douglas Foxton (born 1 September 1955) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Foxton's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as bassist and backing vocalist of mod revival band the Jam. ...
on rhythm guitar. Weller's father, acting as their
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
, began booking the four-piece into local
working men's club Working men's clubs are British private social clubs first created in the 19th century in industrial areas, particularly the North of England, Midlands, Scotland, Northern Ireland and South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education ...
s, and the band began to forge a local reputation, playing a mixture of covers and songs written by Weller and Brookes. After Brookes left the band in 1976, Weller and Foxton decided to swap guitar roles, with Weller now the guitarist. Weller became interested in 1960s
mod subculture Mod, from the word ''modernist'', is a subculture that began in late 1950s London and spread throughout Great Britain, eventually influencing fashions and trends in other countries. It continues today on a smaller scale. Focused on music and f ...
in late 1974, particularly after hearing "
My Generation "My Generation" is a song by the English rock band The Who, written by guitarist and primary songwriter Pete Townshend. One of the band's most recognizable songs, it was placed number 11 by ''Rolling Stone'' on its list of the " 500 Greatest S ...
" by the Who. As a result, he began riding a
Lambretta Lambretta () was a brand of motor scooters, manufactured in Milan, Italy, by Innocenti. The name is derived from the word Lambrate, the suburb of Milan named after the river Lambro which flows through the area, and where the factory was locat ...
scooter, styling his hair like
Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English actor, musician, guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a student at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London and appeared in the West End, before taking a r ...
and immersing himself in 1960s
soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
and R&B music. At his instigation,
the Jam The Jam were an English rock band formed in 1972 in Woking, Surrey, consisting of Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler. They released 18 consecutive top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in ...
began wearing mohair suits onstage and he and Foxton began playing
Rickenbacker Rickenbacker International Corporation is a string instrument manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California. Rickenbacker is the first known maker of electric guitars, with a steel guitar in 1932, and produces a range of electric guitars and bass ...
guitars (as favoured by the Who and the Beatles in the mid-1960s). He has been a committed mod ever since, declaring in a 1991 interview that, "I'll always be a mod. You can bury me a mod".


The Jam (1976–1982)

The Jam emerged at the same time as
punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
bands such as
the Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...
, the Damned, and the
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...
. The Clash were early advocates of the band, and added them as the support on their White Riot tour in May 1977. The Jam's first single, " In the City", took them into the UK Top 40 in May 1977. In 1979, the group released "
The Eton Rifles "The Eton Rifles" is a song recorded by the Jam, written by Paul Weller. It was the only song to be released as a single from the album ''Setting Sons''. Released on 26 October 1979, it became the band's first top-ten hit on the UK Singles Chart ...
" and first broke into the Top 10, hitting the No. 3 spot in November. The increasing popularity of their blend of Weller's barbed lyrics with pop melodies eventually led to their first number one single, "
Going Underground "Going Underground" is a single by English rock band the Jam, written by lead guitarist Paul Weller and released in March 1980. It debuted at number one in the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top. "Going Underground" was the fir ...
", in March 1980. The Jam became the first band since the Beatles to perform both sides of the same single ("
Town Called Malice "Town Called Malice" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Jam from their sixth and final studio album '' The Gift''. It debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart in February 1982. Overview The title is inspired by the 1950 Ne ...
" and "
Precious Precious may refer to: Music * Precious (group), a British female pop group Albums * ''Precious'' (Chanté Moore album), 1992 * ''Precious'' (Conrad Sewell album), 2023 * ''Precious'' (Cubic U album), 1998 * ''Precious'' (Ours album), 200 ...
") on one edition of ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...
''. They also had two singles, " That's Entertainment" (1981) and "
Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero? "Just Who is the 5 O'Clock Hero?" is a song and single released by The Jam on 3 July 1982. It features on their sixth studio album '' The Gift''. It made number eight in the UK Singles Chart in July 1982. The single came with two B-sides – ...
" (1982), reach No. 21 and No. 8 respectively in the UK singles chart despite not being released as singles in the UK—on the strength of import sales of the German single releases. At that time, "That's Entertainment" was the best-selling import-only single to date in the UK charts. Having already told Buckler and Foxton that he was leaving the band, in October 1982 Weller announced that the Jam would disband at the end of that year. Although Weller was determined to end the band and move on, the action came as a surprise to Foxton and Buckler who both felt that the band had scope to develop further professionally. Their final single, " Beat Surrender", became their fourth UK chart topper, going to No. 1 in its first week. Their farewell concerts at
Wembley Arena Wembley Arena () (originally the Empire Pool, currently known as OVO Energy, OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, Greater London, England. The 12,500-seat facility is Greater Lond ...
were multiple sell-outs; their final concert took place at the
Brighton Centre Brighton Centre is a conference and exhibition centre located in Brighton, England. It is the largest of its kind in southern England, and is regularly used for conferences of the UK political parties and other bodies of national importance. ...
on 11 December 1982.


The Style Council (1983–1989)

In 1983, Weller teamed up with keyboardist
Mick Talbot Michael Talbot (born 11 September 1958) is an English keyboardist. He was a co-founder of the Style Council with Paul Weller, and has also been a member of Dexys Midnight Runners, the Merton Parkas and The Bureau (band), the Bureau. Career ...
to form a new group called
the Style Council The Style Council were an English pop band formed in Woking in 1982 by Paul Weller, the former lead vocalist, principal songwriter and guitarist with the rock band the Jam, and keyboardist Mick Talbot, previously a member of Dexys Midnight Ru ...
. Initially a core duo, augmented by various guest musicians and singers, over time the core grew to also include drummer Steve White and singer
Dee C. Lee Diane Catherine Sealy (born 6 June 1961), known as Dee C. Lee or Dee C Lee, is a British singer. Born to Saint Lucian parents, she grew up in south-east London. Early in her career, she was a member of the British band Central Line under the a ...
. Previously a backing vocalist with
Wham! Wham! were an English pop duo formed in Bushey in 1981 consisting of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They were one of the most successful pop acts during the 1980s, selling more than 30 million certified records worldwide from 1982 to ...
, Lee eventually became Weller's girlfriend and then wife. Free of the limited musical styles he felt imposed by the Jam, under the collective of the Style Council, Weller was able to experiment with a wide range of music, including
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
,
blue-eyed soul Blue-eyed soul (also called white soul) is rhythm and blues (R&B) and soul music performed by white artists. The term was coined in the mid-1960s, to describe white artists whose sound was similar to that of the predominantly black Motown and St ...
, and
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
; he also brought in musicians and vocalists to produce a different sound on each track. The Style Council also used synthesizers and drum machines to create their musical style, which would later be labelled as
sophisti-pop Sophisti-pop is a pop music subgenre that developed during the mid-1980s out of the British new wave era. It originated with acts who blended elements of jazz, soul, and pop with lavish production. The term "sophisti-pop" was coined only afte ...
. Many of the Style Council's early singles performed well in the UK charts, and Weller would also experience his first success in North America, when "
My Ever Changing Moods "My Ever Changing Moods" is a song by the English band the Style Council. It was their fifth single to be released. Background "My Ever Changing Moods" was composed by lead vocalist Paul Weller, recorded at Weller's own studio Solid Bond Studio ...
" and "
You're the Best Thing "You're the Best Thing" is a song by English band the Style Council which was their sixth single to be released. It was composed by lead singer Paul Weller, recorded at Weller's own studio Solid Bond Studios, and was released in 1984. It is the s ...
" entered the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Weller appeared on 1984's Band Aid record "
Do They Know It's Christmas? "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a charity song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded by Band Aid, a supergroup assembled by Geldof and Ure consisting of pop ...
", and the Style Council appeared in the British half of
Live Aid Live Aid was a two-venue benefit concert and music-based fundraising initiative held on Saturday, 13 July 1985. The event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia, a m ...
at
Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...
in 1985. In December 1984, Weller formed his own charity ensemble called the Council Collective to make a record, "Soul Deep", to raise money for striking miners, and the family of David Wilkie, a Welsh taxi driver who was killed during said strike. The record featured the Style Council and a number of other performers, including
Jimmy Ruffin Jimmy Lee RuffinRibowsky, Mark (2010), ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations'', Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, p. 89. . (May 7, 1936 – November 17, 2014) was an American soul singer, and ...
and
Junior Giscombe Norman Washington "Junior" Giscombe (born 6 June 1957) is an English singer-songwriter often known as Junior who was one of the first British R&B artists to be successful in the United States. He is best known for his 1982 hit single, " Mama Us ...
, and peaked at No. 24 on the UK singles chart. As the 1980s wore on, the Style Council's popularity in the UK began to decline, with the band achieving only one top ten single after 1985. The Style Council's death knell was sounded in 1989 when its record company refused to release its fifth and final studio album, the house-influenced '' Modernism: A New Decade''. With the rejection of this effort, Weller announced that the Style Council had split. It was not until the 1998 retrospective CD box set ''
The Complete Adventures of the Style Council ''The Complete Adventures of The Style Council'' is a box set by the English pop band the Style Council, released in 1998, nine years after their split. Released after the success of 1997's ''Direction Reaction Creation'', a box set of Paul Well ...
'' that the album would be widely available.


Solo career (1990–present)


Early solo career (1990–1995)

By the end of 1989, Weller found himself without a band and without a
recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording act (artist or group), where the act makes an audio recording (or series of recordings) for the label to sell and ...
for the first time since he was 17. After taking time off for most of 1990, he returned to the road late in the year, touring as "The Paul Weller Movement" with long-term drummer and friend Steve White and Paul Francis (session bassist from the
James Taylor Quartet The James Taylor Quartet (or JTQ) are a British four-piece jazz funk band formed in 1985 by Hammond organ player James Taylor following the break-up of his former band the Prisoners, and in the wake of Stiff Records' bankruptcy. The band c ...
). After a slow start playing small clubs with a mixture of Jam and Style Council classics, as well as showcasing new material, he released his debut solo single, "Into Tomorrow", which peaked at No. 36 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1991. His next single, "Uh Huh Oh Yeh", reached No. 18 in the UK Chart in August 1992, followed by his debut solo studio album, ''
Paul Weller John William Weller (born 25 May 1958), better known as Paul Weller, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame in the late 1970s as the guitarist and principal singer and songwriter of the rock band the Jam, alongside ...
'', peaking at No. 8 on the UK Chart in September that year. Buoyed by the positive commercial and critical success of his debut solo studio album, Weller returned to the studio in 1993 with a renewed confidence, recording most of the tracks on his next album in one take. Accompanied by Steve White, guitarist
Steve Cradock Stephen Cradock (born 22 August 1969) is an English guitarist, most notable for playing in the rock group Ocean Colour Scene. Cradock also plays the guitar in Paul Weller's band, having appeared on all of Weller's solo records following his se ...
and bassist Marco Nelson, the result of these sessions was the
Mercury Music Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...
-nominated ''
Wild Wood ''Wild Wood'' is the second solo studio album by Paul Weller, released in September 1993. It made it to number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and contained four UK hits: "Wild Wood (Paul Weller song), Wild Wood", which reached number 14 on the UK ch ...
'', which included the singles "
Sunflower The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a species of large annual forb of the daisy family Asteraceae. The common sunflower is harvested for its edible oily seeds, which are often eaten as a snack food. They are also used in the pr ...
" and "
Wild Wood ''Wild Wood'' is the second solo studio album by Paul Weller, released in September 1993. It made it to number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and contained four UK hits: "Wild Wood (Paul Weller song), Wild Wood", which reached number 14 on the UK ch ...
". Weller's first solo live album, '' Live Wood'', was released in 1994, peaking at No. 13 in the UK Albums Chart. Weller's third solo studio album ''
Stanley Road ''Stanley Road'' is the third solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter and musician Paul Weller, released by Go! Discs in 1995. The album took its name from the street in Woking where Weller grew up. Weller's cover version of the song ...
'' (1995) took him back to the top of the British charts for the first time in a decade, and went on to become the best-selling album of his career. The album, named after the street in Woking where he had grown up, marked a return to the more guitar-based style of his earlier days. The album's major single, " The Changingman", was also a big hit, taking Weller to No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart. Another single, the ballad "You Do Something to Me", was his second consecutive Top 10 single and reached No. 9 in the UK. Weller found himself heavily associated with the emerging
Britpop Britpop was a mid-1990s United Kingdom, British-based music culture movement that emphasised Britishness. Musically, Britpop produced bright, catchy alternative rock, with significant influences from British guitar pop of the 1960s and 1970s. B ...
movement.
Noel Gallagher Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Gallagher is the primary songwriter, lead guitarist and a co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis (band), Oasis. After leaving Oasis, he formed Noel ...
of
Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environmentI Walk on Gilded Splinters "I Walk on Guilded Splinters" (sometimes "I Walk on Gilded Splinters" or "Walk on Gilded Splinters") is a song written by Mac Rebennack using his pseudonym of Dr. John Creaux. It first appeared as the closing track of his debut album '' Gris-Gris' ...
". Weller also returned the favour, appearing as a guest guitarist on Oasis' hit song "
Champagne Supernova "Champagne Supernova" is a song by English rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. It is the closing track on the band's second studio album, ''(What's the Story) Morning Glory?'' (1995), and was released as the sixth and final single from ...
" from their second studio album ''
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? ''(What's the Story) Morning Glory?'' is the second studio album by the English Rock music, rock band Oasis (band), Oasis. Released on 2 October 1995 by Creation Records, it was produced by Owen Morris and the group's lead guitarist and chief ...
''.


The Modfather (1996–2007)

'' Heavy Soul'', the follow-up to the million-selling ''Stanley Road'', was a ' rootsy', 'stripped-down' change in Weller's musical style, compared to its predecessor. The first single " Peacock Suit" reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart, in 1996 and the album reached No. 2 in 1997. Success in the UK charts also came from compilations: "Best Of" albums by the Jam and the Style Council charted, and in 1998 his own solo collection, '' Modern Classics,'' peaked at No. 7. In 2000 he released his fifth solo studio album, ''
Heliocentric Heliocentrism (also known as the heliocentric model) is a Superseded theories in science#Astronomy and cosmology, superseded astronomical model in which the Earth and Solar System, planets orbit around the Sun at the center of the universe. His ...
'', which debuted and peaked at No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart. On his worldwide '' Days of Speed'' acoustic tour, Weller performed songs from the back catalogue of his solo career and from his Jam and Style Council days, giving rise to a second successful live album of the same name; containing live solo acoustic recordings from the European leg of the tour, the album reached No. 3 in the UK Albums Chart in October 2001. Weller released the No. 1 hit album '' Illumination'' in September 2002. Co-produced by Noonday Underground's Simon Dine, it was preceded by top 10 hit single "It's Written in the Stars". Weller also appears on Noonday Underground's second studio album called ''Surface Noise'' (2002), singing on the track "I'll Walk Right On". In 2002, Weller collaborated with
Terry Callier Terrence Orlando "Terry" Callier (May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012) was an American soul music, soul, Folk music, folk and jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter. Life and career Callier was born in the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and was ...
on the single "Brother to Brother", which featured on Callier's ninth studio album ''Speak Your Peace''. That same year, he teamed up with
electronic rock Electronic rock (also known as electro rock and synth rock) is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s when rock b ...
duo
Death in Vegas Death in Vegas is an English electronic music group, for which Richard Fearless serves as frontman. The band was formed in 1994 by Fearless and Steve Hellier and signed to Concrete Records under the name of Dead Elvis. Owing to an Irish record ...
on a cover of
Gene Clark Harold Eugene Clark (November 17, 1944 – May 24, 1991) was an American singer-songwriter and founding member of the folk rock band the Byrds. He was the Byrds' principal songwriter between 1964 and early 1966, writing most of the band's best ...
's "So You Say You Lost Your Baby", which featured on their third studio album '' Scorpio Rising''. Weller's album of covers entitled ''
Studio 150 ''Studio 150'' is the seventh solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It comprises covers of songs by a variety of artists, and showcases Weller's myriad musical influences. It was named after the small Amsterdam studio in wh ...
'', debuted at No. 2 in the UK charts in 2004, and included
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
's "
All Along the Watchtower "All Along the Watchtower" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his eighth studio album, '' John Wesley Harding'' (1967). The song was written by Dylan and produced by Bob Johnston. The song's lyrics, which in its original v ...
" as well as covers of songs by
Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American Jazz poetry, jazz poet, singer, musician, and author known for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackso ...
and
Rose Royce Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B group. They are best known for several hit singles during the 1970s including " Car Wash", " I Wanna Get Next to You", " I'm Going Down", " Wishing on a Star", and " Love Don't Live Here Anymore". Career ...
, amongst others. Weller's eighth solo studio album ''
As Is Now ''As Is Now'' is Paul Weller's eighth solo studio album. Released in October 2005, it reached  4 in the UK charts. The singles from the record were "From The Floorboards Up" (charted at No. 6), "Come On/Let's Go" (charted at No.  ...
'' (2005) featured the singles "From the Floorboards Up", "Come On/Let's Go" and "Here's the Good News". The album was well-received, reaching No. 4 in the UK charts, though critics noted that he was not moving his music forward stylistically. At the Brit Awards on 14 February 2006 at
Earl's Court Earl's Court is a district of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London, bordering the rail tracks of the West London line and District line that separate it from the ancient borough of Fulham to the west, the ...
in London, he was the latest recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award. Despite a tendency to shun such occasions, Weller accepted the award in person, and performed four songs at the ceremony, including the Jam's classic "Town Called Malice". Double live album ''
Catch-Flame! ''Catch-Flame!'' was recorded at London's Alexandra Palace and is Paul Weller's third solo live album. Recorded on 5 December – the last date of Weller's 2005 UK tour – it features live versions of songs spanning his career, including tho ...
'' was released in June that year, featuring songs from his solo work and his career with the Jam and the Style Council. Compilation album '' Hit Parade'', released in late 2006, collected singles from the Jam, the Style Council and Weller's solo career. Weller was offered appointment as a Commander of the
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
in the 2006 birthday honours, but rejected the offer. In 2007, Weller was a guest vocalist on the song "
John Barleycorn "John Barleycorn" is an England, English and Scotland, Scottish folk song. The song's protagonist is John Barleycorn, a personification of barley and of the beer made from it. In the song, he suffers indignities, attacks, and death that corres ...
" by the folk music project
the Imagined Village The Imagined Village is a folk music project founded by Simon Emmerson of Afro Celt Sound System. A reflection of modern United Kingdom multiculturalism, the music collective syncretizes diverse musical traditions while featuring musicians ...
, with
Martin Carthy Martin Dominic Forbes Carthy MBE (born 21 May 1941) is an English singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in English folk music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, as well as later ar ...
and
Eliza Carthy Eliza Amy Forbes Carthy, MBE (born 23 August 1975) is an English folk musician known for both singing and playing the fiddle. She is the daughter of English folk musicians Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson. Life and career Carthy was born i ...
also being credited as main artists. It was released on the band's eponymous debut studio album.


Critical success (2008–present)

The double studio album ''
22 Dreams ''22 Dreams'' is the ninth solo studio album by Paul Weller. It was released on 2 June 2008. The album was released on double LP and single CD, as well as a deluxe edition CD, featuring a bonus CD with outtakes and extra tracks. Oasis stars ...
'' was released on 2 June 2008, with "Echoes Round the Sun" as the lead single. Weller had parted company with his existing band before the recording this album, replacing everyone except guitarist
Steve Cradock Stephen Cradock (born 22 August 1969) is an English guitarist, most notable for playing in the rock group Ocean Colour Scene. Cradock also plays the guitar in Paul Weller's band, having appeared on all of Weller's solo records following his se ...
with Andy Lewis on bass, Andy Crofts of
the Moons The Moons are an England, English indie rock band formed in Northampton 2008 by singer/guitarist/songwriter Andy Crofts. The Moons have released four studio albums; ''Pocket Melodies'' (2020) on Colorama Records, ''Mindwaves'' (2014) and ''Fa ...
on keyboards and
Steve Pilgrim Steve Pilgrim is an English former rugby union and rugby league footballer, who played rugby union for Wasps and England B. In 1993, Pilgrim was banned from rugby union for a year. At the time, the Rugby Football Union had a stance of banning p ...
of the Stands on drums. This album saw Weller move in a more experimental direction, taking in a wide variety of influences including jazz, folk and tango as well as the pop-soul more associated with his
Style Council The Style Council were an English pop band formed in Woking in 1982 by Paul Weller, the former lead vocalist, principal songwriter and guitarist with the rock band the Jam, and keyboardist Mick Talbot, previously a member of Dexys Midnight Run ...
days. Weller also featured on two songs from the Moons' debut studio album ''Life on Earth'' (2010), playing piano on "Wondering" and lead guitar on "Last Night on Earth". Weller was the surprise recipient of the 2009 Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist, which resulted in controversy when it was discovered that a suspiciously high number of bets had been placed for Weller to win the award, for which James Morrison was T4's favourite. It was reported that the bookmakers had lost £100,000 in the event, and that as a result would not be taking bets for the awards in the future. In 2009, Weller guested on
Dot Allison Dot Allison (born Dorothy Elliot Allison, 17 August 1969, Edinburgh, Scotland) is a Scottish singer and songwriter, known for her contributions to electronic music, most notably as a result of her tenure fronting the band One Dove in the early 1 ...
's fourth studio album, ''Room 7½'' (2009), co-writing "Love's Got Me Crazy". November and December also saw him on tour, playing shows across the country. On 24 February 2010, Weller received the Godlike Genius Award at the ''NME'' Awards. His tenth studio album, ''
Wake Up the Nation ''Wake Up the Nation'' is the tenth studio album from Paul Weller and was released on 19 April 2010. It was nominated for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize. The albums was dedicated to "absent friends – John Weller, Pat Foxton and Robert Kirby". ...
'', was released in April to critical acclaim, and was subsequently nominated for the
Mercury Music Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...
. The album also marked his first collaboration with Jam bassist
Bruce Foxton Bruce Douglas Foxton (born 1 September 1955) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Foxton's music career spans more than 40 years. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as bassist and backing vocalist of mod revival band the Jam. ...
in 28 years. In May 2010, Weller was presented with the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement award, saying "I've enjoyed the last 33 years I've been writing songs and hopefully, with God's good grace, I'll do some more." On 19 March 2012 Weller released his eleventh studio album ''
Sonik Kicks ''Sonik Kicks'' is the eleventh studio album from Paul Weller, an English singer-songwriter and former member of The Jam; it was released on 19 March 2012. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart beating David Guetta's '' Nothing But ...
''. The album entered the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
at number 1. On 17 December 2012 Weller released the ''Dragonfly'' EP, a limited edition vinyl run of 3000 copies. Weller provided vocals on
the Moons The Moons are an England, English indie rock band formed in Northampton 2008 by singer/guitarist/songwriter Andy Crofts. The Moons have released four studio albums; ''Pocket Melodies'' (2020) on Colorama Records, ''Mindwaves'' (2014) and ''Fa ...
' 2012 single "Something Soon". In December 2012, Weller headlined the
Crisis A crisis (: crises; : critical) is any event or period that will lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affairs, especially when ...
charity gig at the
Hammersmith Apollo The Hammersmith Apollo, currently called the Eventim Apollo for sponsorship reasons, and formerly and still commonly known as the Hammersmith Odeon, is a live entertainment performance venue, originally built as a cinema called the Gaumont Pa ...
, where he performed with
Emeli Sandé Adele Emily Sandé ( ; previously Gouraguine; born 10 March 1987), known professionally as Emeli Sandé, is a British singer and songwriter. Born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England and raised in Alford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Sandé rose t ...
,
Miles Kane Miles Peter Kane (born 17 March 1986) is an English singer and musician, best known as a solo artist and the co-frontman of the Last Shadow Puppets. He was also the former frontman of the Rascals, before the band announced their break-up in Au ...
and
Bradley Wiggins Sir Bradley Marc Wiggins (born 28 April 1980) is a British former professional Road bicycle racing, road and track cycling, track racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 2001 and 2016. He began his cycling career on the track, but ...
. On 23 March 2013, Weller played drums on stage with
Damon Albarn Damon Albarn (, ; born 23 March 1968) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman, main vocalist, and lyricist of the rock band Blur (band), Blur and the co-creator and primary musical con ...
,
Noel Gallagher Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Gallagher is the primary songwriter, lead guitarist and a co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis (band), Oasis. After leaving Oasis, he formed Noel ...
and
Graham Coxon Graham Leslie Coxon (born 12 March 1969) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter who came to prominence as a founding member of the rock band Blur. As the group's lead guitarist and secondary vocalist, Coxon is featured on all of Blur' ...
, playing the Blur track "Tender". This was played as part of the
Teenage Cancer Trust Teenage Cancer Trust is a cancer care and support charity in the UK that exists to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13–24. Founded in 1990, the charity's key service is providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. It ...
concerts curated by Noel Gallagher. In 2014, Weller wrote "Let Me In" with
Olly Murs Oliver Stanley Murs (born 14 May 1984) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence after participating on the sixth series of the television talent show ''The X Factor'' in 2009, where he finished as runn ...
for Murs's fourth studio album ''
Never Been Better ''Never Been Better'' is the fourth studio album by English recording artist Olly Murs. It was released through Epic Records on 21 November 2014 in Ireland and 24 November in the United Kingdom. ''Never Been Better'' peaked at number one on th ...
''. In 2015, Weller made a West Coast tour of the US to promote his '' Saturns Pattern'' studio album. The tour ran from 9 June to 9 October. In January 2017 he made a
cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
in "
The Final Problem "The Final Problem" is a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring his detective character Sherlock Holmes. It was first published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom, and ''McClure's'' in the United States, under the title " ...
", the final episode of series four of the BBC TV series '' Sherlock''. On 8 March 2019, audio and video versions of ''Other Aspects, Live at the Royal Festival Hall'' was released. It is the second of two shows and was recorded in October 2018 at London's
Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London, England. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a G ...
with an orchestra. Weller's fifteenth solo studio album, ''
On Sunset ''On Sunset'' is the fifteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It was originally scheduled for release on 12 June 2020, but was delayed until 3 July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first album in several yea ...
'', was released 3 July 2020 and debuted atop the UK Albums Chart, giving Weller UK number-one albums spanning five consecutive decades. He joins the Beatles'
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
and
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
in having the distinction. His number-one albums: '' The Gift'', as part of the Jam (1982). ''
Our Favourite Shop ''Our Favourite Shop'' (released as ''Internationalists'' in the United States) is the second studio album by English band the Style Council. Recorded ten months after the band's debut, '' Café Bleu'', it was released on 8 June 1985 on Polydo ...
'', as part of the Style Council (1985), and solo studio albums ''Stanley Road'' (1995), ''Illumination'' (2002), ''22 Dreams'' (2008), ''Sonik Kicks'' (2012), and ''On Sunset'' (2020). Weller's sixteenth solo studio album, ''
Fat Pop (Volume 1) ''Fat Pop (Volume 1)'' is the sixteenth solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It was released on 14 May 2021 through Polydor Records and Solid Bond, in both a standard and deluxe edition. It was supported by the single "Shade ...
'', was released to critical acclaim on 14 May 2021, and entered the charts at number 1. On 15 May 2021, Weller recorded live symphonic renditions of songs from his catalogue at the
Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London, England, and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings a ...
in London with
Jules Buckley Julian "Jules" Buckley (born 8 January 1980) is an English conductor, composer, and arranger. Career In 2004, Buckley and producer/manager Chris Wheeler co-founded the Heritage Orchestra, with the intention of featuring an orchestra in a music ...
and the
BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. The ...
. A live album of the recording session, ''An Orchestrated Songbook'', was released in December 2021. On 28 October 2022, Weller released a
B-sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...
and rarities album ''Will of the People''. He collaborated on the songs with
Richard Fearless Richard Maguire, known professionally as Richard Fearless, is a British musician. He is the founder of the bands Death in Vegas and Black Acid. In 2004, Death in Vegas created Drone Records for '' Satan's Circus'' in the UK. After having moved to ...
,
Young Fathers Young Fathers are a Scottish Progressive rap, progressive hip hop group formed in Edinburgh in 2008. Their second EP, ''Tape Two'' (2013), won the Scottish Album of the Year Award. In 2014, they won the Barclaycard Mercury Prize, Mercury Prize ...
, Straightface and Stone Foundation. In early 2024, Weller announced that his next studio album, '' 66'', would be released in May, the day before his 66th birthday. Recording took three years in Weller's Surrey studio, Black Barn. The album includes collaborations with Dr. Robert of
the Blow Monkeys The Blow Monkeys are a British pop band formed in 1981. Their first single, "Live Today Love Tomorrow", was released in 1982. They subsequently enjoyed a successful career with several hit singles and albums throughout the 1980s before split ...
, Richard Hawley, Erland Cooper, Max Beesley, Suggs of Madness (band), Madness,
Noel Gallagher Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Gallagher is the primary songwriter, lead guitarist and a co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis (band), Oasis. After leaving Oasis, he formed Noel ...
and Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream, with string arrangements by Hannah Peel. The album's first single, "Soul Wandering", was released on 23 February 2024. He made his feature film debut in Steve McQueen (director), Steve McQueen's historical war drama ''Blitz (2024 film), Blitz'', released in 2024. On 25 July 2025, he will release ''Find El Dorado'', a covers album featuring contributions from
Noel Gallagher Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Gallagher is the primary songwriter, lead guitarist and a co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis (band), Oasis. After leaving Oasis, he formed Noel ...
, Robert Plant, Hannah Peel, Declan O'Rourke, Seckou Keita, and Amelia Coburn.


Influences

Weller's formative influences that have remained relatively constant include
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
,
the Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
, the
Small Faces Small Faces were an English Rock music, rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966 ...
and the Kinks, as well as the mid-late 1960s soul and R&B records released by Tamla Motown and Stax Records, Stax. During the Jam years, Weller was influenced by early punk bands, including the
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...
and
the Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...
, and later post-punk acts such as Gang of Four (band), Gang of Four and Joy Division. During the final part of the Jam's career, he introduced more contemporary soul and funk into the band's music, with Spandau Ballet's "Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)" and Pigbag's "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" inspiring Jam tracks, including "Absolute Beginners (The Jam song), Absolute Beginners" and "
Precious Precious may refer to: Music * Precious (group), a British female pop group Albums * ''Precious'' (Chanté Moore album), 1992 * ''Precious'' (Conrad Sewell album), 2023 * ''Precious'' (Cubic U album), 1998 * ''Precious'' (Ours album), 200 ...
". Weller's inspiration also came from 1970s soul and funk artists—most notably Curtis Mayfield. Weller has worked various literary influences into his work, such as George Orwell's work together with a short story written by Weller's friend Dave Waller, providing inspiration for the Jam's fourth studio album ''Setting Sons'' (1979). Weller has also cited Geoffrey Ashe's ''Camelot and the Vision of Albion'' (1971), Orwell and Percy Bysshe Shelley as sources of inspiration for the Jam's fifth studio album ''Sound Affects'' (1980). Jazz influenced Weller's work during the early Style Council years, and he has cited John Coltrane as one of his favourites, saying "I love all of his stuff from ''A Love Supreme'' onwards." His tastes became increasingly eclectic during his Style Council period, with releases influenced by music as diverse as Claude Debussy, Philadelphia soul and Erik Satie, culminating in the band's American house music-inspired album '' Modernism: A New Decade''. During the 1990s, Weller's work began being influenced by late 1960s and early 1970s artists such as Neil Young, Nick Drake, and Traffic (band), Traffic. He has also embraced the influence of David Bowie, despite having once said that all but three of his records were "pish". Despite telling ''Mojo (magazine), Mojo'' magazine in 2000 that he did not "make music with fuzzy radios or electric spoons", since then, he has incorporated experimental influences into his music, citing Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen as major influences for ''
On Sunset ''On Sunset'' is the fifteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It was originally scheduled for release on 12 June 2020, but was delayed until 3 July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first album in several yea ...
''s experimental tracks. Additionally, ''Mojo'' has noted Neu!'s influence on ''
Sonik Kicks ''Sonik Kicks'' is the eleventh studio album from Paul Weller, an English singer-songwriter and former member of The Jam; it was released on 19 March 2012. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart beating David Guetta's '' Nothing But ...
"Green" and "Around the Lake". Among the many albums that Weller has cited as all-time favourites are ''Odessey and Oracle'' (1968), ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' (1967), ''What's Going On (album), What's Going On'' (1971) , ''Innervisions'' (1973), ''Low (David Bowie album), Low'' (1977), ''Journey in Satchidananda'' (1971), ''The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society'' (1968), the
Small Faces Small Faces were an English Rock music, rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966 ...
eponymous 1967 album, Traffic (band), Traffic's eponymous 1968 album, ''McCartney (album), McCartney'' (1970), ''Down by the Jetty'' (1975), and ''My Generation (album), My Generation'' (1965). Other songs he has nominated as favourites include the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Strawberry Fields Forever", the Small Faces' "Tin Soldier (song), Tin Soldier", James Brown's "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine", Declan O'Rourke's "Since Kyabram, Galileo (Someone Like You)", the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset" and "Days (The Kinks song), Days", and Pharrell Williams' "Happy (Pharrell Williams song), Happy". In 2012, Weller invaded a live radio interview with singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan to praise his songs "Alone Again (Naturally)" and "Nothing Rhymed" as "two of my favourite songs, great lyrics, great tunes". Weller's favourite film is Stanley Kubrick's ''A Clockwork Orange (film), A Clockwork Orange'' (1971).


Personal life

Between the summer of 1977 and around August 1985, Weller was in a relationship with Gill Price, a fashion designer from Bromley. She, and Weller’s relationship with her, inspired several Jam songs, including "I Need You (For Someone)", "Aunties & Uncles", "English Rose", "Fly", and "Happy Together". She worked in the Jam's offices, contributed to Weller's fanzines, and frequently toured with them—she can be seen in various behind-the-scenes photos. She appeared on the sleeve of the final Jam single, " Beat Surrender", and along with Weller's sister Nicky, she also had a cameo in the music video for the Style Council's "
My Ever Changing Moods "My Ever Changing Moods" is a song by the English band the Style Council. It was their fifth single to be released. Background "My Ever Changing Moods" was composed by lead vocalist Paul Weller, recorded at Weller's own studio Solid Bond Studio ...
". At the height of the Style Council's success, Weller and
Dee C. Lee Diane Catherine Sealy (born 6 June 1961), known as Dee C. Lee or Dee C Lee, is a British singer. Born to Saint Lucian parents, she grew up in south-east London. Early in her career, she was a member of the British band Central Line under the a ...
, the Style Council's backing vocalist, began a romantic relationship. The couple married in 1987 and divorced in 1998. They have a son and a daughter. Weller has another daughter with make-up artist Lucy Halperin. Weller became involved with Samantha Stock whilst he was recording at the Manor studio; they had two children together. In October 2008, Stock and Weller broke up and Weller moved in with Hannah Andrews, a backing vocalist on his ''22 Dreams'' studio album, who has also toured with his band. They first met in New York City, New York in 2005 and married in September 2010 on the Italian island of Capri. The couple have twin boys who were born in 2012, and a daughter, born in 2017. In April 2014, Weller won £10,000 in damages from DMG Media, Associated Newspapers after "plainly voyeuristic" photographs of his family out shopping were published on MailOnline. On 24 April 2009, John Weller, his father and long-time manager since the days of the Jam, died from pneumonia at the age of 77. His mother Ann Weller died on 15 July 2025. Weller has been sober since 2010.


Political views and activism

Weller has a long association with British politics. In the Jam's first ''NME'' interview in May 1977, he famously announced that the band would vote for the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party at the next election, something he has long since stated was a joke. From late 1980, he became increasingly interested in Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), often being pictured wearing a CND badge (as in the music video for "
Town Called Malice "Town Called Malice" is a song recorded by the English rock band the Jam from their sixth and final studio album '' The Gift''. It debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart in February 1982. Overview The title is inspired by the 1950 Ne ...
") and playing rallies with both the Jam and the Style Council. In tandem, he became more vocally Socialism, socialist in interviews, and between around 1982 and 1987, his songwriting also became increasingly politicised, most notably on "Trans-Global Express", "Money-Go-Round", "The Big Boss Groove", "Soul Deep" and the majority of ''
Our Favourite Shop ''Our Favourite Shop'' (released as ''Internationalists'' in the United States) is the second studio album by English band the Style Council. Recorded ten months after the band's debut, '' Café Bleu'', it was released on 8 June 1985 on Polydo ...
''. In late 1984, Weller took part in Band Aid and then put together his own benefit record for the UK miners' strike (1984–85), UK miners' strike, which was called "Soul Deep" and credited to the Council Collective. The 12" of the single featured interviews with striking miners, although half of the money raised went to the widow of David Wilkie, a taxi driver who was killed whilst driving strike-breaking miners to their shift. During the 1980s, Weller was also Vegetarianism, vegetarian and concerned with animal rights. As a result, he wrote the song "Bloodsports", which was included on the B-side of the Style Council's 1985 single, "Walls Come Tumbling Down!". Royalties from the track were donated to a defence fund for two hunt saboteurs then on remand in HM Prison Bristol. From the latter half of 1985, Weller was highly involved in the formation of Red Wedge, a Left-wing politics, left-wing collective of musicians and actors etc. who aimed to "bring left-wing ideas to other people". From around 1988 onwards, he became less politically vocal, ultimately stating during the 1990s that he no longer particularly believed in any politics. In 2008, after then-Conservative leader and former Eton College, Eton pupil David Cameron chose the Jam's "
The Eton Rifles "The Eton Rifles" is a song recorded by the Jam, written by Paul Weller. It was the only song to be released as a single from the album ''Setting Sons''. Released on 26 October 1979, it became the band's first top-ten hit on the UK Singles Chart ...
" as one of his ''Desert Island Discs'', Weller expressed disgust, saying, "It wasn't intended as a fucking jolly drinking song for the Cadet Corps, cadet corps." When asked about it again in 2015, he told Mojo (magazine), ''Mojo'' magazine: "The whole thing with Cameron saying it was one of his favourite songs ... I just think, 'Which bit didn't you get?" Weller also began playing the song live again for the first time since 1982. In a 2008 interview, Weller said he had declined a Order of the British Empire, CBE because of his dislike of the British royal family, royal family, the Establishment and the Civil Service (United Kingdom), Civil Service. During the mid-2010s, Weller made a brief return to the political arena, being vocally supportive of then-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and playing a 'Concert for Corbyn' in December 2016. In a ''The Guardian, Guardian'' interview in the run-up to the 2024 United Kingdom general election, 2024 general election, Weller commented on the British political landscape: "You can either vote for Rishi Sunak, Rishi Sunak's Tory party, or you can vote for Keir Starmer, Keir Starmer's Tory party." Weller also labelled Sunak, Starmer and Nigel Farage "[m]ugs" and criticised the actions of Israel in the same interview, stating: "Am I against genocides and ethnic cleansing? Yes, I am, funnily enough, I can't understand why more people aren't up in arms about what's going on. We should be ashamed of ourselves, I think. One minute you're supplying bullets and bombs and guns, and then you're sending over food. How does that work?" Weller performed at a fundraising concert for Gaza later in the year. In 2025, Weller signed an open letter in support of the hip-hop trio Kneecap (band), Kneecap which opposed a "clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform" the group.


Recognition and influence

In 2007, the BBC described Weller as "one of the most revered music writers and performers of the past 30 years". In 2015, Pete Naughton of ''The Daily Telegraph'' wrote, "Apart from David Bowie, it's hard to think of any British solo artist who's had as varied, long-lasting and determinedly forward-looking a career." In 2012, he was among the Culture of the United Kingdom, British notables selected by the artist Peter Blake (artist), Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork—the Beatles' ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' album cover—to celebrate the British social figures of his life.


Discography

Studio albums * ''
Paul Weller John William Weller (born 25 May 1958), better known as Paul Weller, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame in the late 1970s as the guitarist and principal singer and songwriter of the rock band the Jam, alongside ...
'' (1992) * ''
Wild Wood ''Wild Wood'' is the second solo studio album by Paul Weller, released in September 1993. It made it to number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and contained four UK hits: "Wild Wood (Paul Weller song), Wild Wood", which reached number 14 on the UK ch ...
'' (1993) * ''
Stanley Road ''Stanley Road'' is the third solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter and musician Paul Weller, released by Go! Discs in 1995. The album took its name from the street in Woking where Weller grew up. Weller's cover version of the song ...
'' (1995) * '' Heavy Soul'' (1997) * ''
Heliocentric Heliocentrism (also known as the heliocentric model) is a Superseded theories in science#Astronomy and cosmology, superseded astronomical model in which the Earth and Solar System, planets orbit around the Sun at the center of the universe. His ...
'' (2000) * '' Illumination'' (2002) * ''
Studio 150 ''Studio 150'' is the seventh solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It comprises covers of songs by a variety of artists, and showcases Weller's myriad musical influences. It was named after the small Amsterdam studio in wh ...
'' (2004) * ''
As Is Now ''As Is Now'' is Paul Weller's eighth solo studio album. Released in October 2005, it reached  4 in the UK charts. The singles from the record were "From The Floorboards Up" (charted at No. 6), "Come On/Let's Go" (charted at No.  ...
'' (2005) * ''
22 Dreams ''22 Dreams'' is the ninth solo studio album by Paul Weller. It was released on 2 June 2008. The album was released on double LP and single CD, as well as a deluxe edition CD, featuring a bonus CD with outtakes and extra tracks. Oasis stars ...
'' (2008) * ''
Wake Up the Nation ''Wake Up the Nation'' is the tenth studio album from Paul Weller and was released on 19 April 2010. It was nominated for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize. The albums was dedicated to "absent friends – John Weller, Pat Foxton and Robert Kirby". ...
'' (2010) * ''
Sonik Kicks ''Sonik Kicks'' is the eleventh studio album from Paul Weller, an English singer-songwriter and former member of The Jam; it was released on 19 March 2012. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart beating David Guetta's '' Nothing But ...
'' (2012) * '' Saturns Pattern'' (2015) * ''A Kind Revolution'' (2017) * ''True Meanings'' (2018) * ''
On Sunset ''On Sunset'' is the fifteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It was originally scheduled for release on 12 June 2020, but was delayed until 3 July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first album in several yea ...
'' (2020) * ''
Fat Pop (Volume 1) ''Fat Pop (Volume 1)'' is the sixteenth solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It was released on 14 May 2021 through Polydor Records and Solid Bond, in both a standard and deluxe edition. It was supported by the single "Shade ...
'' (2021) * '' 66'' (2024) * ''Find El Dorado'' (2025)


References


Further reading

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External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Weller, Paul 1958 births Living people 20th-century English male singers 21st-century English male singers 20th-century English singer-songwriters 21st-century English singer-songwriters 20th-century English guitarists 21st-century English guitarists BT Digital Music Awards winners Brit Award winners British political music artists English activists for Palestinian solidarity English lead guitarists English male new wave singers English new wave singers English male guitarists English male singer-songwriters English punk rock musicians English record producers English rock guitarists English male rock singers English socialists English soul singers Go! Discs Records artists Incognito (band) members Independiente Records artists Island Records artists Ivor Novello Award winners Mod revival musicians NME Awards winners Parlophone artists People from Woking Sophisti-pop musicians The Jam members The Style Council members V2 Records artists Ghost Box Music artists