A TOWN CALLED BOREDOM?

Released January 1982, A Town Called Malice was a genius piece of writing, let alone a stonking great record. An incredible piece of British power-pop that has never been matched since its release 33 years ago!

It is hard to imagine how any 23 year old could be so cynical and pen such a classic song but Weller always was and always will be ahead of the game. Without doubt one of the best song writers this country has ever produced.

1982 was not a great year to be fair. Over three million unemployed, the Falklands war, the paranoia of nuclear war and Margaret Thatcher’s ugly mush staring back at you all the time. Oh yeah, Aston Villa won the European Cup and haven’t shut up about it since!

Weller captured that moment in time perfectly, he may have had Woking in mind when he sat down to write Malice but he could just have easily been talking about Shirley or anywhere else.

'A whole street's belief in Sunday's roast beef Gets dashed against the co-op To either cut down on beer or the kids' new gear It's a big decision in a town called Malice'

So how come I’m so fuckin’ bored of A Town Called Malice? A song that once meant so much to me has become almost painful to listen to and the blame lies firmly with its author. Having said that, Billy Elliott has a lot to answer for too!

I’ve always admired how Weller pushes the boundaries. He’s never been one to sit back and relax happy with his lot. It took balls to break up the biggest and best band in the country at the height of their success. It took even bigger balls to unleash The Style Council upon the Jam army; I’m so glad he did though.

Weller upset a lot of people with his decision to disband The Jam (me included) but it was without doubt the right thing to do. The Style Council took Weller and his fans down a very different path although some got lost on the way.

They may have been ridiculed by many but The Style Council to me were amazing! The perfect pop group. Weller in my opinion, penned some of his greatest songs during this period and left a musical legacy that easily matches The Jam. They may have lost their way a bit towards the end (depends on your point of view) but they shone like a beacon in a world of synth pop shite!

Even today Weller isn’t scared to experiment. 22 dreams , Sonik Kicks and his latest offering, the brilliant Saturn’s Pattern for me are his best albums for a long time and are about as experimental as you can get.

It is live that I start to part company with A Town Called Malice. Like most I was overjoyed when Malice found its way back into his live sets and I loved it when he played it on the Johnathon Ross show, even when old Wossy got up and reassured me I was not the only tone deaf fucker out there.

However, it’s hung around like a bad smell for far too long! To me Weller is pandering to the poor old fuckers who are still crying over The Jam splitting up all those years ago and my heart sinks when I hear the opening bass line at a gig.

I’m not against him playing his old tunes, he wrote them and has every right to play them but for God’s sake we are talking about Paul Weller here! It’s not like he hasn’t got a back catalogue that most artists would die for. What’s wrong with throwing in an album track? Or one of the countless other amazing singles The Jam released? Better still, some Style Council if he has to play old stuff.

It always amuses me when people stand there with long faces at a gig because they don’t know the songs and then as if by magic they have a bi-polar moment of epic proportions when he starts to play Malice. Surely to God they haven’t paid £40 to hear him do one song?

I know a lot of you will disagree with me but I also know many will agree too.

What about you?

Mez.