PaulWellerinLos Angeles in1978: he coming on late (not the band's fault) to a sell-out says he doesn't gymnasium full of doped-upcollege kids, The Jam "give a fuck" about and their audience go from instant culture shock- breaking the States Suits?!! What is this, some kind of Bay City Rollers concert? -through puzzlement, to open antagonism. If The Jam were a folk group it would beeasy to understand. If theywere an Aztec reggae combo, the audience's loathing and impatience would be perfectly excusable. That's not what all these people camefor, bub -theycame to get ontheir feet andon their knees to cities on flame with rock'n'roll!!! Which, albeit inaless spectacular form, is precisely what The Jam deliver. Ultimately, the audience reaction is simplya commentary upon the Cult's success in moving into the bland -rock platinum -album market. Whereas us Brits tend, I think, to associate Mr Lanier with Ms Smith,seenothing surprising in Sandy Pearlman producing The Clash, and view the Cult's oeuvre as that point where bondage meets braggadocio, where Satanism and Spectacle do mortal battle at the crossroads of decadence and heavy metal -well, it's evident on the other hand that this Connecticut audience, at least,see only the BOC'snew populist image, and are consequently somewhat more enamoured of the grandeur than the guts of rock'n'roll. Whatever, they don't like The Jam -and The Jam aren't too struckonthem. Paul Weller is positively surly, even during the intervals between the first few songs,when the audience haven't yet decided whether to laugh, cheer or jeer. Not that they can understand a word he mumbled, but- good grief!- ordering them to get up out of their canvas gym seats, grind out the joint butts and dance! The sole respondents are a couple of members of The Dictators who've come up to see the Cult and generously bop around by the side of the stage inafierce show of support for The Jam. But it just won't wash. "Modern World", "News Of The World", "All Around The World", "Whicker's Oyster Cult, who The Jamare supporting onhalfadozenmore World" (Vetydroll-Ed), "I Need You", gigs, replies, "I dunno. They all look alike, don't they?" "Bricks And Mortar", "The Combine" Here he is now, doing a personal appearance at the National -it's sheerly sensational, and all it Convention of the IBS -America's network of college radio stations receives is a hail of abuse... though -in one of the biggest and most central hotels in NewYork, a city not, significantly, of missiles. completely immobilised by enormous St Patrick's Day parades, Gladyou came,boys? Me too. and he's totally browned off. Isn't he interested in seeing NewYork, seeing the sights? pAUL WELLER, HIS girlfriend "Nah, I'veseen'em all in history books." tied inseparably to his side, Would he rather have stayed at home? disconsolately signs another "Yeah, I think so." autograph on another free album, mutters a terse reply to another So why has he come? formula question, and looks disinterestedly at his off -dutypumps. "A lot ofreasons,really. I signeda contract tothe effect that I'dcome over Your replies, I remark, are incredibly monosyllabic. here and play- and there's some kids over 'ere wanna see us..." "I dunno what thatmeans,Phil, quite honestly," heanswers-and he's But is he actually interested in "breaking" the States? not being awkward. I tell him he seems to have come over to the States "I don't give a fuck, really," he answers succinctly. withadistinctly hostile attitude: he doesn't In this, Weller is a little isolated within the exactly enter into casual conversation with Jam camp: Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler great vigour. areboth evidently enjoying the tour. Foxton "I don't think I'm very intelligent," he replies, "I don't think says he'll be "pleased" if they break in the States. to my surprise. "My IQ's really dropped in the As for Rick, who gave us the "all-American" last year. I dunno -I think it's terrible, y'know. I'mvery quote at the beginning, he was asleep when I can't speak properly to people anymore." his turn came to be interviewed, so we can Is that because he's on the spot all the time? onlysurmise... "I dunno. I think it's because I don't read intelligent. Whatever The Jam's ambitions, Polydor USA so much anymore. Reading does a lot for seem pretty determined to make this one the your brain." big one. All the band are full of praise for the Nonetheless, Weller's interest in this tour is My IQ's really work and enthusiasm the company is putting hardly all -consuming. He hasn't the least idea of out -especially compared to Polydor UK, where the band is heading after the next town, dropped" whose recent efforts, according to Weller and for instance; and asked whether he's met Blue Foxton, leave much to be desired.

78 HISTORY OF ROCK 1978