Paul Weller talks ahead of his gig in Birmingham
Not too many fans will have been disappointed that Paul Weller reschedule his March date at Birmingham’s Genting Arena to tonight.
Though they missed out in spring, the show gives them an opportunity to hear more from Pau’s soon-to-be-released 26th album, True Meanings.
Paul, of course, is apologetic to anyone who might have had to rejig their plans and is now looking forward to playing: “We are all happy that the postponed Birmingham show from March has been re-scheduled for August. Cheers for being patient while we worked it all out and we promise, it will be a great show.”
The gig comes after a superlative year for the singer/songwriter. 2017 marked the 40th anniversary of Paul Weller’s first album, In The City, which he released with The Jam in May 1977. For most artists such a landmark would be greeted with extensive retrospective celebrations: lavish reissues and all that jazz.
But Paul is not like most artists, instead he released a new studio album, because releasing new albums is what Paul Weller does. Always moving forward, almost clinically averse to nostalgia or checking his progress in the rear-view mirror. And so, continuing his never-ending creative peak, Paul Weller released his eagerly awaited 13th studio album A Kind Revolution and announced a UK Arena tour for 2018.
A Kind Revolution was a line taken from one of the songs on that record. Paul says: “Well ‘a kind revolution’ is a line from one of the songs and then I thought it seemed pretty appropriate for the record really because I like the sound of it. I think if we had any kind of revolution in the world it would have to be born out of kindness and compassion and love, which is probably never going to happen. But one can dream. But I was imagining that kind of revolution – of the soul, of the spirit, as opposed to one that sheds more blood and kills more people.”
Though Paul has moved on to True Meanings, the notion of social change and the creation of a better society remains an issue close to his heart. He has been dismayed by the rise of the alt-right, by Donald Trump, Brexit and casual xenophobia and racism.
“I’m not having any of that at all, mate. But I like the multi-cultural thing. Where I live in London, it’s very much like that and it’s like being in a bubble where I live because it’s very, very mixed and generally speaking people get on really well so maybe you do get a false vision of what’s going on, you know? Nevertheless, whether it’s real or false, that’s how we should be.”
Paul was inspired to pick up a guitar by The Beatles, though he was too young to ever see them live. Instead, his first gig was Status Quo at Guildford Civic Hall. Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt changed his life. “It was 1972 and it was just amazing. It was the first live band I’d seen apart from little bands in pubs and working man’s clubs. To hear a proper band and that level of volume as well it was . . . I wouldn’t say an epiphany but it validated everything I believed in anyway.”
Paul’s new album, True Meanings, continues his musical evolution and provides fans with all-acoustic music laden with strings. It’s the latest departure for the changing man who has embraced rock’n’roll, mod, soul, funk, pop and more during a chameleonic career.
“I was quite conscious, even though I wanted True Meanings to be orchestrated, that it’s fundamentally just me and an acoustic guitar. “That’s the core of it. That’s where it starts from – as if I’m sitting in a room with you, playing you a song.”
It continues to deal with the same lyrical issues as A Kind Revolution, railing against the shambolic state of the nation and taking a pop at the dark forces trying to drag us back to the old days, whether it’s fascists or whether it’s religions. The record features guest spots from such acclaimed artists as Martin Carthy and Danny Thompson along with Conor O’Brien, Noel Gallagher, and Lucy Rose. There’s also a nod to David Bowie.
Paul will be joined tonight by his Brummie mates Stone Foundation, whose new album Everybody, Anyone was released today. It features 11 new songs and as before, there’s a sprinkling of guest musicians including Kathryn Williams, Dr Robert and Mick Talbot.
