BRUCE FOXTON AND RICK BUCKLERby Craig Ablitt
Its twenty-five years ago this month since The Jam played what would be their final ever tour. Despite being at the top of their game, Paul Weller decided to split Britain’s greatest ever trio to at the age of just twenty-three to concentrate on other projects, leaving a nation and his bandmates Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler in a state of shock. This may seem like overenthusiastic hyperbole from a journalist and fan, but the impact The Jam had on music and culture in this country cannot be understated. Breakout their seminal albums All Mod Cons, Setting Sons, Sound Affects and The Gift and find the generation-defining likes of ‘Eton Rifles’, ‘A Town Called Malice’ – not to mention non-album tracks like ‘Going Underground’.
It was with genuine excitement earlier in 2007 then, when it was announced The Jam were to reform, albeit without Weller, which begged the question: How can you have The Jam without Paul Weller? Step forward Foxton and Buckler – the formidable rhythm section of The Jam, who recruited frontman Russell Hastings and keyboardist Dave Moore, announced a UK tour under the banner ‘From The Jam’ (which sold out in ten days) and gave fans what they had been missing for twenty-five years: Blistering performances that did absolute justice to the sound and energy of The Jam. Ahead of an even bigger sold out UK tour which will see them play their first London gigs in quarter of a century, we caught up with Buckler and Foxton.
“Early on it was something we were concerned about with Paul not on board,” says Buckler. “He’s made it clear that he had no intention in joining this reunion, but it wasn’t going to stop us from doing it,” he informs defiantly. “He cut all communications after the band split with myself and Bruce and it didn’t seem worthwhile trying to stay in touch if he didn’t want to, so we just tackled it ourselves. It’s a shame Paul’s not there, but that’s the way it is and as time goes on it doesn’t seem to hold that much importance for me.”
A shame yes. Something the whole world would like to see? Absolutely, but go to one of the new shows and see for yourself the excitement, the energy, the passion and euphoria pouring out of the throngs of fans old and new, reminiscent of Jam’s gigs of old, which is not just a gut feeling from the fans, but the band themselves, perhaps owing to the fact that Weller’s songs have stood up to the test of time.
It was with genuine excitement earlier in 2007 then, when it was announced The Jam were to reform, albeit without Weller, which begged the question: How can you have The Jam without Paul Weller? Step forward Foxton and Buckler – the formidable rhythm section of The Jam, who recruited frontman Russell Hastings and keyboardist Dave Moore, announced a UK tour under the banner ‘From The Jam’ (which sold out in ten days) and gave fans what they had been missing for twenty-five years: Blistering performances that did absolute justice to the sound and energy of The Jam. Ahead of an even bigger sold out UK tour which will see them play their first London gigs in quarter of a century, we caught up with Buckler and Foxton.
“Early on it was something we were concerned about with Paul not on board,” says Buckler. “He’s made it clear that he had no intention in joining this reunion, but it wasn’t going to stop us from doing it,” he informs defiantly. “He cut all communications after the band split with myself and Bruce and it didn’t seem worthwhile trying to stay in touch if he didn’t want to, so we just tackled it ourselves. It’s a shame Paul’s not there, but that’s the way it is and as time goes on it doesn’t seem to hold that much importance for me.”
A shame yes. Something the whole world would like to see? Absolutely, but go to one of the new shows and see for yourself the excitement, the energy, the passion and euphoria pouring out of the throngs of fans old and new, reminiscent of Jam’s gigs of old, which is not just a gut feeling from the fans, but the band themselves, perhaps owing to the fact that Weller’s songs have stood up to the test of time.
“It’s been absolutely brilliant to be back on the road,” Buckler states. “Yeah, it’s been an unbelievable buzz,” Foxton butts in. “It’s been so long since myself and Rick have played these songs and we both have a new enthusiasm and excitement from doing them again,” he beams. “First and foremost its Paul’s quality songwriting that has made the tunes stand the test of time so well,” Foxton continues. “We were always passionate about the music, and our audience still are today. It makes an excellent combination.”So what of the so-called ‘Weller replacement’ Russell Hastings? From the outset his vocal sounds like Weller, he uses exactly the same guitars and set up as Weller, some would argue he even dresses like Weller did in The Jam’s hey-day. So is he trying to be Weller? “Russell doesn’t sound too dissimilar to Paul,” agrees Foxton. “But he has his own way of phrasing the songs.” Buckler interjects at this point: “Russell does a great job. People will have to come down to see the shows to appreciate it properly. He carries it well, but at the same time he is his own man, judge it for yourself.”
The most significant thing about this UK tour as mentioned, is it marks the twenty-fifth anniversary since the split, with the tour culminating in the exact same venue that marked the end of The Jam at Weller’s behest – The Brighton Centre, which will no doubt evoke memories of that dark night in 1982. A deliberate arrangement perhaps to address the history books?
“I don’t think we’re rewriting history, I hope not!” proclaims Buckler. “What was going through my mind at that last show is that we’d never play these songs again, but now we have a second chance and it’s going to be fantastic,” he says, excitedly. “A lot of people have been saying to me it’s like we do have some unfinished business to take care of because the band ended prematurely at that venue,” adds Foxton. “We’re not trying to add to The Jam’s legacy, hence why we called ourselves From The Jam, because it’s not The Jam without Paul, obviously,” he outlines.So what next for From The Jam? There’s talk of new material, which Buckler informs us that the band would “like to turn their attention to,” but the question on the lips of every fan of arguably Britain’s greatest ever band after The Beatles is: Will Paul Weller ever rejoin The Jam? “It would be nice,” informs Foxton. “We have always said that the door is open, but I don’t think he thinks much of bands reforming like The Police or The Jam for that matter, but you never know!”
Whether Weller rejoins or not, one thing about From The Jam’s is certain: That’s Entertainment.
No comments:
Post a Comment