
The most interesting thing Weller has ever done, the Style Council started out with laudable ideals but ended up with pretentious, mean spirited self important jazz pop fusions, an unreleased house album, and a leader shot to shit. One of the biggest bands of the eighties, in the beginning they were actually pretty good and hugely commercial, even claiming the dubious honour of a place at Geldof’s high table.
Of course, Wellers interest in the cosmopolitan world of cappuccinos, coffee bars, Blue Note Jazz and rare soul wouldn’t raise an eyebrow these days but back in the mid eighties they were all hugely alien concepts. Weller was a badge wearing socialist veggie in a raincoat, cycling shirts and expensive footwear with an obsession with the French. Incredibly I didn’t laugh once.
What I didn’t know at the time was that he was merely copying a move made by the original modernist faces in his beloved sixties. When the mod movement descended into a sheep like mentality following the mod’s v rockers beach battles, to disassociate themselves from the throng these faces became even more obscure and selective with their influences. Weller had just followed their sign posts on the exact same route. A disturbing pattern began to emerge.
01 HEADSTART FOR HAPPINESS / Single B Side May 1983
02 THE PARIS MATCH / a Paris EP August 1983
03 IT JUST CAME TO PIECES IN MY HANDS / Single B Side November 1983
04 SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN / Single B Side February 1984
05 ME SHIP CAME IN! / Café Bleu March 1984
06 MY EVER CHANGING MOODS / Café Bleu March 1984
07 HERES ONE THAT GOT AWAY / Café Bleu March 1984
08 THE WHOLE POINT OF NO RETURN / Café Bleu March 1984
09 BIG BOSS GROOVE / Groovin’ EP May 1984
10 THE PICCADILLY TRAIL / Single B Side October 1984
11 BLOOD SPORTS / Single B Side May 1985
12 COME TO MILTON KEYNES / Our Favourite Shop June 1985
13 INTERNATIONALISTS / Our Favourite Shop June 1985
14 BOY WHO CRIED WOLF / Our Favourite Shop June 1985
15 A MAN OF GREAT PROMISE / Our Favourite Shop June 1985
16 DOWN IN THE SEINE / Our Favourite Shop June 1985
17 THE LODGERS / Our Favourite Shop June 1985
18 FAIRY TALES / The Cost Of Loving February 1987
19 THE COST OF LOVING / Single B Side October 1987
20 SWEET LOVING WAYS / Single B Side May 1988
21 CHANGING OF THE GUARD / Confessions Of A Pop Group June 1988
22 WHY I WENT MISSING / Confessions Of A Pop Group June 1988
23 HOW SHE THREW IT ALL AWAY / Confessions Of A Pop Group June 1988