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Paul Weller Interview From Mojo




















A few bit's from the brilliant interview with Paul Weller in this months Copy of Mojo, that covers Weller's career to date

From the sounds of The Jam, via the iconoclastic '80s soul of The Style Council and the highs and lows of a sixteen year solo career

There's a lot of psychedelia on the new album. On A Dream Reprise sounds like you've dropped acid...

A friend told me the album sounded like a record made by someone who's never made a record before - but in a good way, obviously. Another of the really psychedelic tracks, Echos Round The Sun, is Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer. They did the backing track and I put the vocal on top.

You and Noel, two Mod beacons. Do you hang out all the time?

We're both usually working, one or the other of us is out on your or in the studio. So we don't see each other that often, maybe five times a year. I don't think he likes hanging out with me that much - he's always giving it the large one about drinking and rock 'n' roll, but I think I go a bit too far for him some-times (laughs). But he's one of my best friends, I love him to bits. He's always supportive, and been there for me. Hopefully I've done the same with him.

Is there an intuitive bond between you, because you've both experienced the huge fame trip...

Yeah. We're very different people but we both say the same thing: there are certain things this job entails and you have to get on with it. It's no good just making one good album - unless you're Lee Mavers - you have to do it again and again. It's a pressure, but isn't that great? That's what we got into it for. You get these people moaning, "I'm under so much pressure", but I can remember the time you had to make an album every f**king year, not one every four years.

You said Noel sometimes thinks you go too far. There's a story he told in the Britpop years about him waking in the night to see you, bare-chested, circling a bonfire in his back garden chanting your name...

Well, Noel does like his stories, doesn't he? I don't know what he was talking about. I'm pretty sure I wasn't there. He's had a few mad nights out himself.

After being feted by artists like Noel and Graham Coxon in the 90's you're now a icon for another generation of bands like Arctic Monkeys, The Rifles and The Enemy. How does that feel?

It's one of the greatest compliments you can have - that bands are influenced or inspired by what you do. I know how much it means to me meeting someone like Macca. Even know I think "F**king hell, it's Macca!" It's brilliant.

Read the full interview with Paul Weller in this months copy of Mojo.

Source: Mojo Magazine

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