Paul Weller: Most principled man in rock?

Has any artist lived and worked so steadfastly by his principles as Paul Weller. The man is as stubborn as a mule.

Wore a suit at the height of punk.
Split up one the most successful groups of the period despite everyone telling him he was mad including his own manager who also happened to be his dad.
Formed The Style Council who were one of the most eclectic groups ever in the history of rock. 'JerUSAlem' anyone?
Did 'Live Aid' despite, I suspect, every fibre in his body telling him not to. Because it was a 'good thing' to do and it was. None of his contempories would touch it with a bargepole less it spoil there 'cred'.
Made a 'house' record that killed The Style Council stone dead.
At the beginning of the nineties he was down and out.
What did he do? He wrote 'Into Tomorrow' which is an amazing back to basics rock song.
After 'Stanley Road' he was back as a fully paid up member of being a rock star.

Did he kiss anyones arse? no
Did he do anything other than what he wanted to do at the time? no
I reckon nearly all artists have regrets about their career.
I doubt Paul Weller has any.

Anyone else?

Billy Bragg

Trumps him in spades I would suggest.

Lee Rimmer | 8 July 2008 - 5:58am

Bowing before the Queen!

I know he doesn't regret it but he bloody well should! What next, attending Thatchers funeral!

grac | 8 July 2008 - 8:33am

Quick, Mr H!

She's back! Organise an impromptu disco or something!

Archie Valparaiso | 8 July 2008 - 8:44am

Hastily

digs out Redskins album........

Paul Holmes | 8 July 2008 - 4:04pm

Only

to spit on her grave.

Vulpes Vulpes | 8 July 2008 - 11:58am

No regrets?

Does he never look in the mirror? (No, rewrite that, does he ever stop looking in the mirror and does he never see?)
Yes, I'm talking hair.

Retropath2 | 8 July 2008 - 7:04am

Admittedly....

there is a Worzel Gummidge type quality there.

Scott Wilkinson | 8 July 2008 - 7:16am

He should have regrets

Has he ever had a disinterestedly nice word to say about anybody else?

Archie Valparaiso | 8 July 2008 - 7:06am

Or any THING

I loved his comment "I 'ate iPods - they look like a fridge and even worse it's a fridge with no fucking beer in it".

Or the "hinternet" - "I won't 'av one in the house".

Twangothan | 8 July 2008 - 8:17am

sorry is this spoof

It's very well done you've made Paul Weller look like someone who runs a hospice whilst he fosters disabled children and feeds orphaned sparrows in his spare time, good work.
I thought he was slightly grumpy pop star whose fussy about his clothes who has written the odd good tune but has talked nonsense in virtually every interview he's ever given.

Chris G | 8 July 2008 - 8:57am

He's interviewed in Q with Duffy

He asked her if the 60's influence was her own? She said it isn't. So basically, she's admitted she's a puppet for her record company and producers.

LOUDspeaker | 8 July 2008 - 9:05am

Ah, so. . .

aping the style, clothes and attitude of an earlier generation is OK as long as it's your own "original" idea. Glad we got that cleared up.

Archie Valparaiso | 8 July 2008 - 9:21am

couldn't see

what point your were making I'm sure no one round here was under the impression Duffy was some kind of bedroom 60's obsessive. I'm sure we could draw up along list of much revered "credible" artists who have taken on thie "company's" ideas about their sound or the way they look.

Chris G | 8 July 2008 - 9:27am

Robert Wyatt...

surely fits into this category.

Patrick Crowther | 8 July 2008 - 9:21am

Which category?

Nasty bits of goods with bad haircuts?

Archie Valparaiso | 8 July 2008 - 9:41am

Timing, gentlemen.

Awkward fella, interweb blogging, no sooener do you submit your shrewd and brief overview, when some bugger creeps in under your horizon and skews the whole context..... Clearly PC was wishing to include Robert Wyatt in the "best cop show ever" format but was hi-jacked by the Valparaiso surge.
I await with interest to see where this will arrive.
Note to the Frasester: how about an equivalent button to the google "I'm feeling lucky", transporting posts randomly about the site?

Retropath2 | 8 July 2008 - 9:53am

No

The one on the left is definitely Lou Diamond Phillips.

Archie Valparaiso | 8 July 2008 - 10:01am

Note to self: 'Weller causes animosity amongst Word readers'

Just putting it out there.
Retropath2...touche.

Let's not forget the music behind the man.
This is rather good in my opinion (still defending the man!).

Scott Wilkinson | 8 July 2008 - 11:37am

I don't think

anybody particularly has anything against his music it's just your beatification of the guy

Chris G | 8 July 2008 - 12:56pm

That is....

excellent!!! The 'Confessions of a Pop Group' album is still one of my favourite albums (I'll probably get battered for that!)

humphreym | 8 July 2008 - 11:47am

Van Morrison...

Even more uncompromising, even more truculent and even more narcissic (in my Peacock Suit)

Question.

Has anyone handed Weller a harmonica?

John Waite | 8 July 2008 - 12:08pm

Grumpy Old Man moment

Much as I like the Wellster (Copyright VV Productions 2008) there is one thing about the reporting he generates that really gets my Caprid, and that's the term "Modfather".

Paul Weller was born in 1958.

He was not, and never can have been, a Mod. A Mod revivalist, certainly, but not a Mod. So how in the name of Steve Marriott can he be called the "Modfather"?
It's disrespectful to real Mods and historically impossible.

Vulpes Vulpes | 8 July 2008 - 12:09pm

Strides & Steps

Weller has never managed to get his trousers right and can't dance for toffee.

collibosher | 8 July 2008 - 12:45pm

I especially like the fact

that his son is a goth who takes style tips from both Marilyn Manson and Victoria Beckham. What would Steve Marriott have said?

lovelyian | 8 July 2008 - 12:38pm