Paul Weller Makes Thing Is Rubbish
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12 EVENT MUSIC On his latest album I think the whole stylish rock legend celebrity culture Paul Weller makes thing is rubbish. It a stand against sends out a really mediocrity, writes negative message Sally Browne tor’s items, they have since disap- peared into rock history. HE HAS written tracks that have ‘‘It’s gone to the ether along the inspired generations, been credited way. Probably a lot of it was lost or with kicking off the mod revival stolen, or was just thrown away movement, and scored countless hits because it was so shrunken you in his native UK with his bands The couldn’t wear it anyway.’’ Jam, The Style Council and as a Weller is friends with both of solo artist. Oasis’s Gallagher brothers, whose So how does one address someone split last year was allegedly exacer- of the stature of Paul Weller (pic- bated when older brother Noel poked tured), the ‘‘Modfather’’? Does he fun at Liam’s clothing label. need a special honorific? His ‘‘They are very different, what can Modness, perhaps? I say? Well, they’re both lovely, ‘‘No, sir is fine,’’ the 52-year-old they’re both my friends, so I have to says, good-naturedly from his be careful what I say, really. London flat ‘‘on a beautiful, beautiful ‘‘Liam has got his own very definite summer’s day’’. vision of the world, of how the world The artist who wrote tracks includ- works and his place in it. And I can’t ing Going Underground and Town say what that is because I couldn’t Called Malice was recently honoured even hazard a guess, but he has got it with a string of dates at the pres- anyway. tigious Albert Hall in London where ‘‘And I guess you could say Noel’s he went through his enormous back The Modfather a bit more down to earth. No, he’s a catalogue, sometimes playing 31-song lot more down to earth. sets. this country. I just the think the technology, obviously. But I think he’s always had an interest in. Rather ‘‘I love to hear Liam’s theories on Pretty soon he will be honouring media, the TV, the radio is at an all- also there’s a certain element of than wearing the ripped clothes of life. It’s different. It’s like listening to his Australian fans when he tours in time low. It’s all lowest common humanism that gets lost along the their punk contemporaries, The Jam an ancient philosopher. I think he’s October. denominator. way.’’ went for more stylish attire. really fascinating.’’ But Weller, who has retained his ‘‘Second-best becomes the stan- One element of pop culture Weller ‘‘We used to get our suits made up When Weller comes to Australia in position as a successful solo artist dard really, it becomes what people does have an interest in, however, is at this little tailor’s that is long gone October he promises a mix of old and since the 1990s, is not resting on his accept and expect and it’s really sad. I fashion. With their dapper suits and now, just behind Carnaby St, which new songs. And with more than 20 past success. He has just released his think the whole celebrity culture neat shoes, The Jam were a sartorial on reflection were absolutely shock- studio albums to his name, there will tenth solo album Wake Up the thing is rubbish. It sends out a really as well as musical influence to a ing really, because you’d wear them be plenty to choose from. Nation, which went to No.2 in negative message.’’ generation of bands. once on stage and you’d get them ‘‘When we started rehearsing for Britain. Comprised of 16 short and Weller has a go at modern pas- Weller’s friend and fan Liam dry-cleaned and they’d shrink – to a the English shows we rehearsed over varied songs, it doesn’t give the times too. The title track features the Gallagher, formerly of Oasis, recently size where they’d fit a chimp. 50 songs, which was pretty mind- listener a moment to become bored. lyrics: ‘‘Get your face off the Face- started a fashion line, Pretty Green, ‘‘And then we had some Jam shoes boggling. But it worked out good The title, he says, is a call to arms book and turn off your phone.’’ and invited the Modfather to design made up at a place called Shellys. We because we can dip in and out of this against the mediocrity overtaking ‘‘Maybe if you’re 14 or 16 it might some clothes for it. used to get stuff made up because you pool of songs. The new stuff all Britain. have some value or some relevance,’’ Weller wore one of the Pretty couldn’t find it at that time, you had sounds great live as well.’’ ‘‘I can’t comment on other people’s he says. ‘‘But everyone’s doing it, Green suits at his Albert Hall gigs. to get it made, really.’’ Paul Weller performs at The Tivoli, countries, that would be unfair. But I really. While he hasn’t begun any designs While those Jam outfits would Brisbane, October 19-20; tickets just think we settle for second best in ‘‘There are always benefits to just yet, Weller says it’s something probably now be considered collec- 132 849. Mixing it: Pendulum are (from left) Ben Mount, Paul Harding, Pendulum swings Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen and Perry ap Gwynedd. Front: Kevin Joseph Sawka with style change people inventing these genres and then it will catch on. It’s quite healthy and it doesn’t seem to The former Perth rockers turned dance happen anywhere else in the world.’’ But hang on Rob, didn’t you say act head home, writes Sally Browne you didn’t like the London life? ‘‘The lifestyle’s s---. The weather’s EVERYTHING is musical fair game following over there and recently s---. The place is too crowded. It’s for a group like Pendulum. played a 10,000-strong concert at not a very good place to go out. If The London-based dance act London’s Wembley Arena. you’re talking lifestyle, Perth beats it recently remixed a version of the It was an overwhelming experi- any day of the week.’’ old ABC news theme. ence. When they looked out into the Pendulum appeared on the inter- It’s what they grew up listening to crowd they saw ‘‘a crowd the size of national radar with their last album, in Perth, explains the band’s a small football stadium acting like a In Silico. The album received UK frontman, Rob Swire. nightclub’’, says Swire. playing in our band before,’’ Rob Reading Festival in the UK – it’ll be attention, but Swire says their ‘‘It was a thing that we grew up ‘‘It was so insane that we couldn’t explains. the biggest slot we’ve ever played. Australian fan base is fast catching hearing every night on the news and actually take the experience in On Immersion they mix things up We’re headlining the second stage. up. They’re hoping that this Aust- in the morning when your dad properly. My manager afterwards even more – the record features a For a festival of that proportion it’s ralian tour will consolidate their would turn the TV on,’’ he says. ‘‘We goes, ‘How was that, mate?’ And I collaboration with Liam Howlett of pretty daunting but we’ve got a few reputation here. When you write talked about remixing it for about said, ‘Dude, it was too big’. And he the Prodigy as well as Swedish tricks lined up.’’ music of such international appeal, six years. It was always something got quite offended at the time. He metal band In Flames. So is Swire, who grew up in it’s impossible to predict where your that we joked about.’’ said, ‘What do you mean it was too The gang got to know Howlett on Zimbabwe before moving to Perth strongest fan base will be. Next the band will be getting big?’ I just meant it was such a the festival circuit and started talk- with his family, happy to be an ‘‘It’s really quite random, to be their hands on Jeff Wayne’s War of sensory overload that we didn’t ing to him at Big Day Out. They honorary Londoner? honest,’’ says Swire. ‘‘You go some- the Worlds for a special remix of the have time to realise what we were worked on the track, Immunize, back ‘‘I don’t really like the London life where like Finland or Vienna or 1978 work. doing. It was immense.’’ and forth via email before Howlett at all,’’ he says. ‘‘I like working in Slovenia and you can be massive in In the meantime, they’ve got their While Pendulum owe much of came into the studio for the finish- London. London’s got such a vibrant those places, and the minute you third album to promote – Immersion their sound to the drum ’n’ bass ing touches. culture. Scenes over there can be come to Germany or Sweden you which, as well as being a No.3 record scene of London, they originally The group returns to Australia to born and die every two weeks. get a proper reality smackdown.’’ in this country, was a No.1 smash in started out as a rock band. tour in October and November. In You’ve got all these new genres of Pendulum play the Tivoli, the UK.