123-604: Wild Wood is the second solo studio album by Paul Weller , released in September 1993. It made it to number 2 on the UK Albums Chart , and contained four UK hits: " Wild Wood ", which reached number 14 on the UK charts, " Sunflower ", which reached number 16, "The Weaver" which reached number 18 as "The Weaver EP" and " Hung Up ", which reached number 11. The original 1993 UK and European CD included 15 tracks. When issued in
246-571: A West Coast tour of the US to promote his Saturns Pattern studio album. The tour ran from 9 June to 9 October. In January 2017 he made a cameo appearance in " The Final Problem ", the final episode of series four of the BBC TV series Sherlock . On 8 March 2019, audio and video versions of Other Aspects, Live at the Royal Festival Hall was released. It is the second of two shows and
369-454: A considerable impact on social structure and personality. Before they were broken up and sold by Henry VIII , monasteries had been one of the important parts of social welfare, giving alms and looking after the destitute, and their disappearance meant that the state would have to adopt this role, which culminated in the Poor Law of 1601. The monasteries were decrepit and no longer were
492-487: A cover of Gene Clark 's "So You Say You Lost Your Baby", which featured on their third studio album Scorpio Rising . Weller's album of covers entitled Studio 150 , debuted at No. 2 in the UK charts in 2004, and included Bob Dylan 's " All Along the Watchtower " as well as covers of songs by Gil Scott-Heron and Rose Royce , amongst others. Weller's eighth solo studio album As Is Now (2005) featured
615-434: A diet largely of bread, cheese, milk, and beer, with small portions of meat, fish and vegetables, and occasionally some fruit. Potatoes were just arriving at the end of the period, and became increasingly important. The typical poor farmer sold his best products on the market, keeping the cheap food for the family. Stale bread could be used to make bread puddings , and bread crumbs served to thicken soups, stews, and sauces. At
738-541: A garden could trade with their neighbours to obtain vegetables and fruits at low cost. The people discovered new foods (such as the potato and tomato imported from the Americas ), and developed new tastes during the era. The more prosperous enjoyed a wide variety of food and drink, including exotic new drinks such as coffee and chocolate. French and Italian chefs appeared in the country houses and palaces, bringing new standards of food preparation and taste. For example,
861-455: A great deal of bread and fish. Every class had a taste for beer and rum. At the rich end of the scale the manor houses and palaces were awash with large, elaborately prepared meals, usually for many people and often accompanied by entertainment. Often they celebrated religious festivals, weddings, alliances and the whims of her majesty. England was wracked by civil war over religious issues. Prosperity generally continued in both rural areas and
984-533: A greater number of cures for diseases. However, a cholera epidemic took place in London in 1848–49 killing 14,137, and subsequently in 1853 killing 10,738. This anomaly was attributed to the closure and replacement of cesspits by the modern sewerage systems. The status of the poor is one area in which huge changes occurred. A good illustration of the differences between life in the Georgian and Victorian eras are
1107-578: A live radio interview with singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan to praise his songs " Alone Again (Naturally) " and " Nothing Rhymed " as "two of my favourite songs, great lyrics, great tunes". English society English society comprises the group behaviour of the English people , and of collective social interactions, organisation and political attitudes in England . The social history of England evidences many social and societal changes over
1230-530: A mini-industrial revolution, with the increased use of wind power and changes in the wool industry. Wool, always important to the British economy, was traditionally exported to be processed, but it was now frequently processed in England, creating a variety of extra jobs. The export of cloth continued to increase from the 14th century onwards, and after the closing of the port of Calais (which consumed much of
1353-580: A more Germanic feel, was set up in the south east of the island. These new arrivals had not been conquered by the Romans, but their society was perhaps similar to that of Britain. The main difference was their pagan religion, which the surviving northern areas of non-Saxon rule sought to convert to Christianity. During the 7th century these northern areas, particularly Northumbria , became important sites of learning, with monasteries acting like early schools and intellectuals such as Bede being influential. In
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#17327823704981476-486: A newly levied poll tax which had been calculated on pre-plague population figures, led directly to the Peasants' Revolt . Although quickly put down, the revolt was an early popular reform movement—a precursor to later, more successful uprisings. Geofrey Chaucer 's Canterbury Tales give an illuminating picture of many of the different people who made up medieval society, although these portraits are limited mainly to
1599-699: A pub. Similar sanitation reforms were prompted by the Public Health Acts 1848 and 1869. Progress was made in the crowded, dirty streets of the existing cities. Soap was the main product shown in the relatively new phenomenon of advertising. Victorians strove to improve society through many charities and relief organisations such as the Salvation Army , the RSPCA and the NSPCC . At the same time there were many people who used Florence Nightingale as
1722-485: A return to the more guitar-based style of his earlier days. The album's major single, " The Changingman ", was also a big hit, taking Weller to No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart. Another single, the ballad "You Do Something to Me", was his second consecutive Top 10 single and reached No. 9 in the UK. Weller found himself heavily associated with the emerging Britpop movement. Noel Gallagher of Oasis
1845-829: A short story written by Weller's friend Dave Waller, providing inspiration for the Jam's fourth studio album Setting Sons (1979). Weller has also cited Geoffrey Ashe 's Camelot and the Vision of Albion (1971), Orwell and Percy Bysshe Shelley as sources of inspiration for the Jam's fifth studio album Sound Affects (1980). Jazz influenced Weller's work during the early Style Council years, and he has cited John Coltrane as one of his favourites, saying "I love all of his stuff from A Love Supreme onwards." His tastes became increasingly eclectic during his Style Council period, with releases influenced by music as diverse as Claude Debussy , Philadelphia soul and Erik Satie , culminating in
1968-564: A slow start playing small clubs with a mixture of Jam and Style Council classics, as well as showcasing new material, he released his debut solo single, "Into Tomorrow", which peaked at No. 36 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1991. His next single, "Uh Huh Oh Yeh", reached No. 18 in the UK Chart in August 1992, followed by his debut solo studio album, Paul Weller , peaking at No. 8 on
2091-553: A smart, left-field stroke capable of transporting the listener to a dimly remembered land of pop delights." Dimitri Ehrlich of Entertainment Weekly noted the album's "intricate" music, describing it as a cross between "the gruff- punk charge" of Weller's band the Jam and "the refinement and musicality" of his later band the Style Council . In a retrospective review, AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine lauded Wild Wood as Weller's "first true masterwork since ending
2214-521: A somewhat higher social level, families ate an enormous variety of meats, especially beef, mutton, veal, lamb, and pork, as well as chickens and ducks. The holiday goose was a special treat. Many rural folk and some townspeople tended a small garden which produced vegetables such as asparagus, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, beans, cabbage, carrots, leeks, and peas, as well as medicinal and flavoring herbs. Some raised their own apricots, grapes, berries, apples, pears, plums, currants, and cherries. Families without
2337-498: A switch from indentured labourer to wage earner, which signalled the decline of the feudal system. The peasants' new-found freedoms were very worrying to the authorities, who passed laws specifying the maximum that a peasant should be paid, but this had little effect on wages. The first of several sumptuary laws were also made, dictating exactly how people at every level of society should dress and what they could own, in an effort to enforce social distinctions. These new laws, plus
2460-646: A triumph", while in Select , Adam Higginbotham called it "the album that his solo debut should have been" and "an album of good pop songs to some; to others, a reassuring sign that the man is back on track". Paul Moody also offered qualified praise in NME , deeming it "not the absolute tour de force we may have hoped for", but nonetheless "three-quarters of the way to marking a complete rebirth." Rolling Stone ' s Tom Sinclair wrote that Wild Wood "gives retrochic an unexpected twist" and found it "charmingly anomalous,
2583-582: A viable business model. Steam ships such as the SS Great Britain and SS Great Western made international travel more common but also advanced trade, so that in Britain it was not just the luxury goods of earlier times that were imported into the country but essentials such as grain and meat from North America and Australia. One more important innovation in communications was the Penny Black ,
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#17327823704982706-447: A wide variety of food and drink, including tea, coffee, and chocolate. Historians examining the period 1300–1800 have detected a high level of continuity in their studies of crime and punishment. They have used local records, as well as literary sources, to explore how crime was defined and detected, the changes in the court system, the central importance of elite attitudes toward the poor and dangerous classes, professional criminals, and
2829-469: Is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame with the rock band the Jam in the late 1970s. Following the dissolution of the Jam in 1982, he pursued different musical styles in the Style Council (1983–1989), then became a solo artist with his eponymous 1992 studio album . Despite widespread critical recognition as a singer, lyricist, and guitarist, Weller has remained a national—rather than international—star, and much of his songwriting
2952-683: Is credited as guest guitarist on the Stanley Road album track " I Walk on Gilded Splinters ". Weller also returned the favour, appearing as a guest guitarist on Oasis' hit song " Champagne Supernova " from their second studio album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? . Heavy Soul , the follow-up to the million-selling Stanley Road , was a 'rootsy', 'stripped-down' change in Weller's musical style, compared to its predecessor. The first single " Peacock Suit " reached No. 5 in
3075-528: Is rooted in English society . Many of his songs with the Jam had lyrics about working class life. He was the principal figure of the 1970s and 1980s mod revival , often referred to as the Modfather , and an influence on Britpop bands such as Oasis . He has received four Brit Awards , including Best British Male three times, and the Brit Award 2006 for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Weller
3198-521: Is the concept of an emerging consumer society. Studies of middle- and upper-class manners, tastes, and fashions have proliferated, along with studies of gender, national, and racial identities. The social changes during the Victorian era were wide-ranging and fundamental, leaving their mark not only upon the United Kingdom but upon much of the world which was under Britain's influence during
3321-725: The Barbican Centre in London with Jules Buckley and the BBC Symphony Orchestra . A live album of the recording session, An Orchestrated Songbook , was released in December 2021. On 28 October 2022, Weller released a B-sides and rarities album Will of the People . He collaborated on the songs with Richard Fearless , Young Fathers , Straightface and Stone Foundation. In early 2024, Weller announced that his next studio album, 66 , would be released in May,
3444-522: The Black Death in 1348 then killed around half the English population, but left plenty of land for the survivors. The agricultural sector shrank, with higher wages, lower prices and shrinking profits leading to the final demise of the old demesne system and the advent of the modern farming system of cash rents for lands. Wat Tyler's Peasants' Revolt of 1381 shook the older feudal order and limited
3567-524: The Brighton Centre on 11 December 1982. In 1983, Weller teamed up with keyboardist Mick Talbot to form a new group called the Style Council . Weller brought in Steve White to play drums, as well as singer Dee C. Lee , who later became Weller's girlfriend and then wife. She also had previously been a backing vocalist with Wham! Free of the limited musical styles he felt imposed by
3690-731: The Crisis charity gig at the Hammersmith Apollo , where he performed with Emeli Sandé , Miles Kane and Bradley Wiggins . On 23 March 2013, Weller played drums on stage with Damon Albarn , Noel Gallagher and Graham Coxon , playing the Blur track "Tender". This was played as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts curated by Noel Gallagher. In 2014, Weller wrote "Let Me In" with Olly Murs for Murs's fourth studio album Never Been Better . In 2015, Weller made
3813-542: The East Indies , tea from India and slaves (brought from Africa to the sugar colonies, along with some enslaved servants in England itself) formed the backbone of imperial trade. One in nine Englishmen lived in London near the end of the Stuart period. However, plagues were even more deadly in a crowded city—the only remedy was to move to isolated rural areas, as Isaac Newton of Cambridge University did in 1664–66 as
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3936-633: The Great Famine . At the same time, around 15 million emigrants left the United Kingdom in the Victorian era and settled mostly in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Not only did the rapidly expanding British Empire attract immigrants, it also attracted temporary administrators, soldiers, missionaries and businessmen who on their return talked up the Empire as a part of greater Britain. Environmental and health standards rose throughout
4059-564: The Great Plague of London killed as many as 100,000 Londoners. The fast-growing metropolis was the centre of politics, high society and business. As a major port and hub of trade, goods from all over were for sale. Coffee houses were becoming the centres of business and social life, and it has also been suggested that tea might have played its own part in making Britain powerful, as the antiseptic qualities of tea allowed people to live closer together, protecting them from germs, and making
4182-624: The Industrial Revolution possible. These products can be considered as beginning the consumer society which promoted trade and brought development and riches to society. Newspapers were new and soon became important tools of social discourse, and the diarists of the time such as Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn are some of the best sources we have of everyday life in Restoration England. Coffee houses grew numerous and were places for middle-class men to meet, read
4305-544: The Ten Hours Act 1847 to reduce working hours, and these culminated in the Factory Act 1901 . Many of these acts resulted from the blight of Britain's agricultural depression . Beginning in 1873 and lasting until 1896, many farmers and rural workers were hard-pressed for a stable income. With the decline in wheat prices and land productivity many countrymen were left looking for any hope of prosperity. Although
4428-612: The UK Singles Chart , in 1996 and the album reached No. 2 in 1997. Success in the UK charts also came from compilations: "Best Of" albums by the Jam and the Style Council charted, and in 1998 his own solo collection, Modern Classics , peaked at No. 7. In 2000 he released his fifth solo studio album, Heliocentric , which debuted and peaked at No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart. On his worldwide Days of Speed acoustic tour, Weller performed songs from
4551-412: The heptarchy . Rather than think of themselves as a small part of a larger Roman empire, they reverted to smaller tribal allegiances. The Anglo-Saxons ' arrival is the most hotly disputed of events, and the extent to which they killed, displaced, or integrated with the existing society is still questioned. What is clear is that a separate Anglo-Saxon society, which would eventually become England with
4674-559: The history of England , from Anglo-Saxon England to the contemporary forces upon the Western world . These major social changes have occurred both internally and in its relationship with other nations. The themes of social history include demographic history , labour history and the working class , women's history , family , the history of education in England , rural and agricultural history , urban history and industrialisation . The distant past does not offer much information on
4797-457: The "100 Greatest British Albums Ever". Wild Wood was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . Uncut rated "Wild Wood" as Weller's ninth best ever song and the best of his solo career, with the Smiths ' bassist Andy Rourke praising it as a "very easy, kicking-back sort of song". Paul Weller Paul John Weller (born John William Weller ; 25 May 1958)
4920-399: The 18th century, especially in the cities. At the top of the scale, the legal profession succeeded first, establishing specialist training and associations, and was soon followed by the medical profession. The merchant class prospered with imperial trade. Wahrman (1992) argues that the new urban elites included two types: the gentlemanly capitalist, who participated in the national society, and
5043-427: The 19th century. It can even be argued that these changes eclipsed the massive shifts in society during the 20th century; certainly many of the developments of the 20th century have their roots in the 19th. The technology of the Industrial Revolution had a great impact on society. Inventions not only introduced new industries for employment, but the products and services produced also altered society. Culturally there
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5166-557: The 9th century Alfred the Great worked to promote a literate, educated people and did much to promote the English language , even writing books himself. Alfred and his successors unified and brought stability to most of the south of Britain that would eventually become England. After the Norman conquest of England in 1066, society seemed fixed and unchanging for several centuries, but gradual and significant changes were still taking place,
5289-712: The American colonies, France and other nations at the time. The politics of the French Revolution did not translate directly into British society to spark an equally seismic revolution, nor did the loss of the American Colonies dramatically weaken or disrupt Great Britain. Historians have emphasized the importance of religion, including the domination of the Anglican establishment. The Act of Toleration 1689 granted rights of free religious worship to
5412-757: The Beatles , the Who , the Small Faces and the Kinks , as well as the mid-late 1960s soul and R&B records released by Tamla Motown and Stax . During the Jam years, Weller was influenced by early punk bands, including the Sex Pistols and the Clash , and later post-punk acts such as Gang of Four and Joy Division . During the final part of the Jam's career, he introduced more contemporary soul and funk into
5535-464: The Black Death too many people were competing for scarce resources. Afterwards, the drop in population meant that labourers were in short supply and were paid better. Peasants who had once been confined to a landowner's estate now had an incentive to travel to areas without workers. This social mobility was combined with the fact that peasants could charge much more for their services, and this began
5658-451: The British parliament gave substantial aid to farmers and labourers, many still complained that rents were too high, wages too low, and the hours labourers were required to work were too long for their income. As a result, many workers turned to unions to have their concerns heard and, with the acts listed above as proof, were able to achieve some success. Communication improved rapidly. Stage coaches, canal boats, steam ships and most notably
5781-738: The City ", took them into the UK Top 40 in May 1977. In 1979, the group released " The Eton Rifles " and first broke into the Top 10 , hitting the No. 3 spot in November. The increasing popularity of their blend of Weller's barbed lyrics with pop melodies eventually led to their first number one single, " Going Underground ", in March 1980. The Jam became the first band since the Beatles to perform both sides of
5904-479: The Council Collective to make a record, "Soul Deep", to raise money for striking miners , and the family of David Wilkie , a Welsh taxi driver who was killed during said strike. The record featured the Style Council plus a number of other performers, notably Jimmy Ruffin and Junior Giscombe , and peaked at No. 24 on the UK singles chart. As the 1980s wore on, the Style Council's popularity in
6027-410: The English developed a taste for acidic foods—such as oranges for the upper class—and started to use vinegar heavily. The gentry paid increasing attention to their gardens, with new fruits, vegetables and herbs; pasta, pastries, and dried mustard balls first appeared on the table. The apricot was a special treat at fancy banquets. Roast beef remained a staple for those who could afford it. The rest ate
6150-794: The Godlike Genius Award at the NME Awards . His tenth studio album, Wake Up the Nation , was released in April to critical acclaim, and was subsequently nominated for the Mercury Music Prize . The album also marked his first collaboration with Jam bassist Bruce Foxton in 28 years. In May 2010, Weller was presented with the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement award, saying "I've enjoyed
6273-447: The Jam (1982). Our Favourite Shop , as part of the Style Council (1985), and solo studio albums Stanley Road (1995), Illumination (2002), 22 Dreams (2008), Sonik Kicks (2012), and On Sunset (2020). Weller's sixteenth solo studio album, Fat Pop (Volume 1) , was released to critical acclaim on 14 May 2021, and entered the charts at number 1. On 15 May 2021, Weller recorded live symphonic renditions of songs from his catalogue at
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#17327823704986396-480: The Jam", further crediting it with helping to "kick off the trad rock that dominated British music during the '90s." Record Collector ' s Lois Wilson said that the record, in addition to its "lyrical and musical depth", exhibited Weller's "renewed belief in his guitar playing", and "marked a critical and commercial rebirth" for Weller. Paul Moody reappraised the album more effusively in Uncut in 2007, writing that
6519-448: The Jam, under the collective of the Style Council, Weller was able to experiment with a wide range of music, including jazz , blue-eyed soul , and house ; he also brought in musicians and vocalists to produce a different sound on each track. The Style Council also used synthesizers and drum machines to create their musical style, which would later be labelled as sophisti-pop . Many of the Style Council's early singles performed well in
6642-597: The Jetty (1975), and My Generation (1965). Other songs he has nominated as favourites include the Beatles' " Tomorrow Never Knows " and " Strawberry Fields Forever ", the Small Faces' " Tin Soldier ", James Brown 's " Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine ", Declan O'Rourke 's " Galileo (Someone Like You) ", the Kinks' " Waterloo Sunset " and " Days ", and Pharrell Williams ' " Happy ". In 2012, Weller invaded
6765-649: The Lake". Among the many albums that Weller has cited as all-time favourites are Odessey and Oracle (1968), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), What's Going On (1971) , Innervisions (1973), Low (1977), Journey in Satchidananda (1971), The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968), the Small Faces eponymous 1967 album, Traffic 's eponymous 1968 album, McCartney (1970), Down by
6888-557: The Luddites than fighting Napoleon in Spain. The squalid, dangerous and oppressive conditions of many of the new Victorian factories and the surrounding communities which rose to service them became important issues of discontent, and the workers began to form trade unions to get their working conditions addressed. The first trade unions were feared and distrusted by management, and ways were devised to ban them. The most widely known case
7011-422: The Style Council that the album would be widely available. In 1989, Weller found himself without a band and without a recording contract for the first time since he was 17. After taking time off for most of 1990, he returned to the road late in the year, touring as "The Paul Weller Movement" with long-term drummer and friend Steve White and Paul Francis (session bassist from the James Taylor Quartet ). After
7134-443: The UK Chart in September that year. Buoyed by the positive commercial and critical success of his debut solo studio album, Weller returned to the studio in 1993 with a renewed confidence, recording most of the tracks on his next album in one take. Accompanied by Steve White, guitarist Steve Cradock and bassist Marco Nelson, the result of these sessions was the triumphant Mercury Music Prize -nominated Wild Wood , which included
7257-430: The UK began to slide, with the band achieving only one top ten single after 1985. The Style Council's death knell was sounded in 1989 when its record company refused to release its fifth and final studio album, the house-influenced Modernism: A New Decade . With the rejection of this effort, Weller announced that the Style Council had split. It was not until the 1998 retrospective CD box set The Complete Adventures of
7380-433: The UK charts, and Weller would also experience his first success in North America, when " My Ever Changing Moods " and " You're the Best Thing " entered the US Billboard Hot 100 . Weller appeared on 1984's Band Aid record " Do They Know It's Christmas? ", and the Style Council appeared in the British half of Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985. In December 1984, Weller put together his own charity ensemble called
7503-438: The US, and reissued in the UK in 1994, a 16th track was added. A two-disc deluxe edition was released on 22 October 2007. The title track, " Wild Wood ", was released as a single in 1993, with "Ends of the Earth" as the B-side. It reached no. 14 on the UK charts in September 1993. Wild Wood was released to enthusiastic reviews from critics. In Melody Maker , Taylor Parkes raved that " Wild Wood is, on its own sweet terms,
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#17327823704987626-485: The Victorian era; improvements in nutrition may also have played a role, although the importance of this is debated. Sewage works were improved as was the quality of drinking water. With a healthier environment, diseases were caught less easily and did not spread as much. Technology was also improving because the population had more money to spend on medical technology (for example, techniques to prevent death in childbirth so more women and children survived), which also led to
7749-424: The Who and the Beatles in the mid-1960s). He has been a committed mod ever since, declaring in a 1991 interview that, "I'll always be a mod. You can bury me a mod". The Jam emerged at the same time as punk rock bands such as the Clash , the Damned , and the Sex Pistols . The Clash were early advocates of the band, and added them as the support on their White Riot tour in May 1977. The Jam's first single, " In
7872-461: The actual events are not well understood. Archaeology certainly shows a reduction in the expensive goods found before, and the Roman cities began to be abandoned, but much of British society had never had such things. Certainly, numerous peoples took advantage of the absence of Roman power, but how they affected British society is far from clear. The hegemony of Roman rule gave way to a selection of splintered, often competing, societies, including later
7995-430: The album's "nostalgic mood hit a nerve with both lapsed Jam fans and young upstarts Blur and Oasis ", and that "it's Weller's unshakeable self-belief which marks Wild Wood out as a landmark in British rock . Within a year of its release ... grunge would be over, Britpop would be in full swing, and fears of rock's demise dismissed as a bad dream." In 2000, Q placed Wild Wood at number 77 on its list of
8118-662: The amateur and community element in law enforcement before the establishment of police forces in the 19th century. The Black Act of 1723 , sponsored by Robert Walpole , strengthened the criminal code. It specified over 200 capital crimes , many with intensified punishment. Arson , for example, was expanded to include burning or the threat of burning haystacks. The legal rights of defendants were strictly limited. For example, suspects who refused to surrender within 40 days could be summarily judged guilty and sentenced to execution if apprehended. Local villages were punished if they failed to find, prosecute and convict alleged criminals. From
8241-408: The award in person, and performed four songs at the ceremony, including the Jam's classic "Town Called Malice". Double live album Catch-Flame! was released in June that year, featuring songs from his solo work and his career with the Jam and the Style Council. Compilation album Hit Parade , released in late 2006, collected singles from the Jam, the Style Council and Weller's solo career. Weller
8364-441: The award, for which James Morrison was T4 's favourite. It was reported that the bookmakers had lost £100,000 in the event, and that as a result would not be taking bets for the awards in the future. In 2009, Weller guested on Dot Allison 's fourth studio album, Room 7½ (2009), co-writing "Love's Got Me Crazy". November and December also saw him on tour, playing shows across the country. On 24 February 2010, Weller received
8487-424: The back catalogue of his solo career and from his Jam and Style Council days, giving rise to a second successful live album of the same name; containing live solo acoustic recordings from the European leg of the tour, the album reached No. 3 in the UK Albums Chart in October 2001. Weller released the No. 1 hit album Illumination in September 2002. Co-produced by Noonday Underground 's Simon Dine, it
8610-749: The band's American house music -inspired album Modernism: A New Decade . During the 1990s, Weller's work began being influenced by late 1960s and early 1970s artists such as Neil Young , Nick Drake , and Traffic . He has also embraced the influence of David Bowie , despite having once said that all but three of his records were "pish". Despite telling Mojo magazine in 2000 that he did not "make music with fuzzy radios or electric spoons", since then, he has incorporated experimental influences into his music, citing Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen as major influences for On Sunset ' s experimental tracks. Additionally, Mojo has noted Neu! 's influence on Sonik Kicks ' "Green" and "Around
8733-415: The band's music, with Spandau Ballet 's " Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On) " and Pigbag 's "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" inspiring Jam tracks, including " Absolute Beginners " and " Precious ". Weller's inspiration also came from 1970s soul and funk artists—most notably Curtis Mayfield . Weller has worked various literary influences into his work, such as George Orwell 's work together with
8856-440: The band, two more school friends replaced them: Rick Buckler on drums and Bruce Foxton on rhythm guitar. Weller's father, acting as their manager , began booking the four-piece into local working men's clubs , and the band began to forge a local reputation, playing a mixture of covers and songs written by Weller and Brookes. After Brookes left the band in 1976, Weller and Foxton decided to swap guitar roles, with Weller now
8979-581: The best early surveys of its type, the Domesday Book . The Crusades are one measure of the ever-increasing power of the church in medieval life, with some estimates suggesting that as many as 40,000 clergy were ordained during the 13th century. This is also shown by the spate of cathedral building, common throughout Europe, at the time. These great buildings would often take several generations to complete, spawning whole communities of artisans and craftsmen and offering them jobs for life. A quarter of
9102-413: The colonies, and imprisonment in horrible hulks of old warships. There was no interest in reformation, the goal being to deter through extremely harsh punishment. Major advances in farming made agriculture more productive and freed up people to work in industry. The British Agricultural Revolution included innovations in technology such as Jethro Tull 's seed drill which allowed greater yields, while
9225-737: The day before his 66th birthday. Recording took three years in Weller's Surrey studio, Black Barn. The album includes collaborations with Dr. Robert of the Blow Monkeys , Richard Hawley , Erland Cooper , Max Beesley , Suggs of Madness , Noel Gallagher and Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream , with string arrangements by Hannah Peel . The album's first single, "Soul Wandering", was released on 23 February 2024. He made his feature film debut in Steve McQueen 's historical war drama Blitz , released in 2024. Weller's formative influences that have remained relatively constant include
9348-426: The entrepreneurs of the times, and their success was in contrast not only to the farm workers who were in competition with imported produce but also to the aristocracy whose landowning wealth was now becoming less significant than business wealth. The British class system created an intricate hierarchy of people which contrasted the new and old rich, the skilled and unskilled, the rural and urban and many more. Some of
9471-521: The exact nature of which would not be appreciated until much later. The Norman lords spoke Norman French , and in order to work for them or gain advantage, the English had to use the Anglo-Norman language that developed in England. This became a necessary administrative and literary language (see Anglo-Norman literature ), but despite this the English language was not supplanted, and after gaining much in grammar and vocabulary began in turn to replace
9594-449: The first postage stamp , which standardised postage to a flat price regardless of distance sent. The Victorians were impressed by science and progress, and felt that they could improve society in the same way as they were improving technology. The model town of Saltaire was founded in the 1850s, was one of several created as a planned environment with good sanitation, civic, educational and recreational facilities. It deliberately lacked
9717-461: The first attacks on industrialisation were the Luddites ' destruction of machines, but this had less to do with factory conditions and more to do with machines mass-producing linen much quicker and cheaper than the handmade products of skilled labourers. The army was called to the areas of Luddite activity such as Lancashire and Yorkshire and for a time there were more British soldiers controlling
9840-473: The growing towns, as well as the great metropolis of London. The English Civil War was far from just a conflict between two religious faiths, and indeed it had much more to do with divisions within the one Protestant religion. The austere, fundamentalist Puritanism on the one side was opposed to what it saw as the crypto-Catholic decadence of the Anglican church on the other. Divisions also formed along
9963-425: The guitarist. Weller became interested in 1960s mod subculture in late 1974, particularly after hearing " My Generation " by the Who. As a result, he began riding a Lambretta scooter, styling his hair like Steve Marriott and immersing himself in 1960s soul and R&B music. At his instigation, the Jam began wearing mohair suits onstage and he and Foxton began playing Rickenbacker guitars (as favoured by
10086-404: The independent bourgeois, who was oriented toward the local community. By the 1790s a self-proclaimed middle class, with a particular sociocultural self-perception, had emerged. Thanks to increasing national wealth, upward mobility into the middle class, urbanisation, and civic stability, Britain was relatively calm and stable, certainly compared with the revolutions and wars which were convulsing
10209-527: The land was owned by the Church. Its monasteries owned large tracts of land farmed by peasants. The two centuries from 1200 to 1400 (when the plague hit) were prosperous. The population grew rapidly, from about 2 million to about 5 million. England remained a mainly rural society, and many agricultural changes, such as crop rotation , kept the countryside profitable. Most people lived by farming, although there were wide variations in patterns of land ownership and
10332-488: The language of the rulers. At the same time the population of England more than doubled between Domesday and the end of the 13th century, and this growth was not checked by the almost continual foreign warfare, crusades and occasional civil anarchy. Feudalism , although historians debate the term, is often used to describe medieval society. Basically stated, a lord owns land or a fief which he allows vassals to work in return for their military service. The vast majority of
10455-549: The last 33 years I've been writing songs and hopefully, with God's good grace, I'll do some more." On 19 March 2012 Weller released his eleventh studio album Sonik Kicks . The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 1. On 17 December 2012 Weller released the Dragonfly EP, a limited edition vinyl run of 3000 copies. Weller provided vocals on the Moons ' 2012 single "Something Soon". In December 2012, Weller headlined
10578-421: The left, historians such as E. P. Thompson have emphasized that crime and disorder were characteristic responses of the working and lower classes to the oppressions imposed upon them. Thompson argues that crime was defined and punished primarily as an activity that threatened the status, property and interests of the elites. England's lower classes were kept under control by large-scale execution, transportation to
10701-412: The levels of royal taxation considerably for a century to come. The increase in population led not only to denser rural areas but also to more and larger towns. Many new towns appeared but most were small. Major cities such as Lincoln , Norwich and Thetford had 4,000–5,000 population, while London grew from 10,000 to nearly 40,000 population and York approached 10,000. The 13th century experienced
10824-559: The lines of the common people and the gentry, and between the country and city dwellers. It was a conflict that was bound to disturb all parts of society, and a frequent slogan of the time was "the world turned upside down". In 1660 the Restoration was a quick transition back to the high-church Stuarts . Public opinion reacted against the puritanism of the Puritans, such as the banning of traditional pastimes of gambling, cockfights,
10947-549: The major educational or economic establishments in the country. After they had gone, many new grammar schools were founded and these, along with the earlier introduction of the printing press, helped to improve literacy . The agricultural reforms which had begun in the 13th century accelerated in the 16th century, with enclosure altering the open-field system and denying many of the poor access to land. Large areas of land which had once been common , and whose usage had been shared between many people, were now being enclosed by
11070-617: The middle classes. The Wife of Bath is one particularly vibrant character within the Tales, and a few years later a real-world equivalent, Margery Kempe , showed in her autobiography that women had an important part in medieval society. In general terms, the Tudor dynasty period was seen as relatively stable compared to the previous years of almost constant warfare. However, the Reformation caused internal and external social conflict, with
11193-646: The monument builders. There are many changes in culture seen in prehistoric and later times such as the Beaker people , the Celts , the Romans and the Anglo-Saxons . The Roman invasion of Britain in 54 BC probably did not alter society greatly at first, as it was simply a replacement of the ruling class, but numerous, at first minor, ideas would later gain footholds. Certainly, it would not have affected Ireland in
11316-574: The most obvious symbols of change in prehistoric society is Stonehenge . The building of such stone circles , burial mounds and monuments throughout the British Isles seems to have required a division of labour . Builders would have needed to dedicate themselves to the task of monument construction to acquire the necessary skills. Not having time to hunt and farm would make them rely on others to such an extent that specialised farmers would emerge who provided not only for themselves but also for
11439-828: The non-conformist Protestant sects which had emerged during the Civil War. Baptists , Congregationalists , Methodists , and Quakers were all allowed to pray freely. These groups took the opportunity of the expanding empire and set up in the Thirteen Colonies , where they expanded rapidly after the First Great Awakening . In response to the religious and moral apathy of the common people, Methodist preachers set up societies divided into classes —intimate meetings where individuals were encouraged to confess their sins to one another and to build each other up. They also took part in love feasts which allowed for
11562-492: The papers, look over new books and gossip and share opinions. Thomas Garway operated a coffee house in London from 1657 to 1722. He sold tea, tobacco, snuff, and sandwiches. Businessmen met there informally; the first furs from the Hudson's Bay Company were auctioned there. The diet of the poor in the 1660–1750 era was largely bread, cheese, milk, and beer, with small quantities of meat and vegetables. The more prosperous enjoyed
11685-506: The people were peasants who would work on the vassal's fiefs. This or a similar system was the basis of later medieval society. It probably existed in some form in England before the Norman conquest, but the Normans did much to institute it, either replacing existing lords or by becoming 'overlords' above now-demoted lords. A wealth of information on these social structures can be drawn from
11808-442: The pop-soul more associated with his Style Council days. Weller also featured on two songs from the Moons' debut studio album Life on Earth (2010), playing piano on "Wondering" and lead guitar on "Last Night on Earth". Weller was the surprise recipient of the 2009 Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist , which resulted in controversy when it was discovered that a suspiciously high number of bets had been placed for Weller to win
11931-618: The process of enclosure, which had been altering rural society since the Middle Ages, became unstoppable. The new mechanisation needed much larger fields – the layout of the British countryside with the patchwork of fields divided by hedgerows that we see today. Historians typically date the coming of the Industrial Revolution to Britain in the mid-18th century. Not only did existing cities grow but small market towns such as Manchester , Sheffield and Leeds became cities simply by weight of population. The middle class grew rapidly in
12054-609: The railways all speeded up the movement of people, goods and ideas. New communication methods were very fast if not instantaneous, including the telegraph, the telephone and the trans-oceanic cable. Trains opened up leisure destinations, especially seaside resorts. The Bank Holidays Act 1871 created a number of fixed holidays which the middle class could enjoy. Large numbers travelling to quiet fishing villages such as Worthing , Brighton , Morecambe and Scarborough began turning them into major tourist centres, and people like Thomas Cook saw arranging for domestic and foreign tourism as
12177-534: The raw wool) by the Spanish in the late 16th century, cloth became the primary type of wool exported. Many people were finding different roles and responsibilities within English society too, with the growth of common law giving people greater access to the law and the "commons" starting to have a place in the Parliament during Edward I of England 's time. After many years of growth and gradual change, there
12300-625: The same single (" Town Called Malice " and " Precious ") on one edition of Top of the Pops . They also had two singles, " That's Entertainment " (1981) and " Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero? " (1982), reach No. 21 and No. 8 respectively in the UK singles chart despite not being released as singles in the UK—on the strength of import sales of the German single releases. At that time, "That's Entertainment"
12423-420: The sharing of testimony and mutual surveillance of moral behavior. The success of Methodist revivals in reaching the poor and working classes concentrated their attention on spiritual goals rather than political grievances. Scholars have recently been moving toward cultural history rather than social history. The language and self images of people are the chief targets of cultural studies. Of special importance
12546-490: The singles " Sunflower " and " Wild Wood ". Weller's first solo live album, Live Wood , was released in 1994, peaking at No. 13 in the UK Albums Chart. Weller's third solo studio album Stanley Road (1995) took him back to the top of the British charts for the first time in a decade, and went on to become the best-selling album of his career. The album, named after the street in Woking where he had grown up, marked
12669-698: The singles "From the Floorboards Up", "Come On/Let's Go" and "Here's the Good News". The album was well-received, reaching No. 4 in the UK charts, though critics noted that he was not moving his music forward stylistically. At the Brit Awards on 14 February 2006 at Earl's Court in London, he was the latest recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award. Despite a tendency to shun such occasions, Weller accepted
12792-408: The slightest. It is from the Romans, and particularly Tacitus , that we get the earliest detailed written records of Britain and its tribal society. We get fascinating glimpses of society in Britain before the Romans, although only briefly and disparagingly mentioned, particularly the importance of powerful women such as Cartimandua and Boudica . City dwelling was not new to pre-Roman Britain, but it
12915-417: The status of peasants. To meet the needs of the growing population more land had to be cultivated. Waste land was exploited and major incursions were made into forests, fen and marsh lands. "High farming" was increasingly practised, whereby the landowner took personal control of his land using hired hands rather than leasing it out. Treatises appeared on the best practices, but the growth of per-acre productivity
13038-488: The structures of society. However, major changes in human behaviour make it likely that society must have changed dramatically. In common with much of Europe , the switch from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle to farming around 4000 BC must have heralded an enormous shift in all aspects of human life. Nobody knows what changes may have occurred, and recent evidence of permanent buildings and habitation from 3,000 years ago means that these may still have been gradual shifts. One of
13161-477: The theatre and even Christmas celebrations. The arrival of Charles II —The Merry Monarch—brought a relief from the warlike and then strict society that people had lived in for several years. The theatre returned, along with expensive fashions such as the periwig and even more expensive commodities from overseas. The British Empire grew rapidly after 1600, and along with wealth returning to the country, expensive luxury items were also appearing. Sugar and coffee from
13284-410: The wealthy mainly for extremely profitable sheep farming. England's food supply was plentiful throughout most of the era; there were no famines. Bad harvests caused distress, but they were usually localised. The most widespread came in 1555–57 and 1596–98. In the towns the price of staples was fixed by law; in hard times the size of the loaf of bread sold by the baker was smaller. The poor consumed
13407-633: The writings of two of England's greatest authors, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens . Both writers held a fascination for people, society and the details of everyday life but in Austen the poor are almost absent, mainly because they were still the rural poor, remote and almost absent from the minds of the middle classes. For Dickens, only a few years later, the poor were his main subject, as he had partly suffered their fate. The poor now were an unavoidable part of urban society and their existence and plight could not be ignored. Industrialisation made large profits for
13530-479: Was a lifestyle that the Romans preferred even though available to only a select few Romanised Britons. Romanisation was an important part of the Roman conquest strategy, and British rulers who willingly adopted Roman ways were rewarded as client kings; a good example of this is Togidubnus and his ultramodern Fishbourne Roman Palace . To subdue and control the country, the Romans built a major road network which not only
13653-555: Was a transition away from the rationalism of the Georgian period and toward romanticism and mysticism with regard to religion, social values, and the arts. The era is popularly associated with the "Victorian" values of social and sexual restraint . The population of England almost doubled from 16.8 million in 1851 to 30.5 million in 1901. Scotland's population also rose rapidly, from 2.8 million in 1851 to 4.4 million in 1901. Ireland's population decreased rapidly, from 8.2 million in 1841 to less than 4.5 million in 1901, mostly due to
13776-518: Was an important civil engineering project but formed the basis of the country's communication links. The Romans brought many other innovations and ideas such as writing and plumbing, but how many of these things were the preserve of the rich or were even lost and re-appropriated at a later date is uncertain. The collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century is thought to have brought general strife and anarchy to society, but
13899-473: Was born on 25 May 1958 in Woking , Surrey , England, to John and Ann Weller (née Craddock). Although born John William Weller, he became known as Paul by his parents. Weller's father worked as a taxi driver and a builder and his mother was a part-time cleaner. He started his education at Maybury County First School. His love of music began with the Beatles , then the Who and the Small Faces . When Weller
14022-445: Was eleven he moved up to Sheerwater County Secondary school and had started playing the guitar. Weller's musical vocation was confirmed after seeing Status Quo in concert in 1972. He formed the first incarnation of the Jam, playing bass guitar with his school friends Steve Brookes (lead guitar), Dave Waller (rhythm guitar) and Neil Harris (drums), playing sets at school and their local youth club . When Harris and then Waller left
14145-569: Was leaving the band, in October 1982 Weller announced that the Jam would disband at the end of that year. Although Weller was determined to end the band and move on, the action came as a surprise to Foxton and Buckler who both felt that the band had scope to develop further professionally. Their final single, " Beat Surrender ", became their fourth UK chart topper, going to No. 1 in its first week. Their farewell concerts at Wembley Arena were multiple sell-outs; their final concert took place at
14268-612: Was offered appointment as a Commander of the [[Order of the British Empire] in the 2006 birthday honours, but rejected the offer. In 2007, Weller was a guest vocalist on the song " John Barleycorn " by the folk music project the Imagined Village , with Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy also being credited as main artists. It was released on the band's eponymous debut studio album. The double studio album 22 Dreams
14391-401: Was one seismic event which changed British society dramatically. The Black Death in the middle of the 14th century almost halved the population. Whole villages were wiped out by the plague, but rather than destroying society it managed to reinvigorate it. Before the plague there was a large, probably excessive, workforce with not enough productive work available. Overpopulation meant that before
14514-540: Was preceded by top 10 hit single "It's Written in the Stars". Weller also appears on Noonday Underground's second studio album called Surface Noise (2002), singing on the track "I'll Walk Right On". In 2002, Weller collaborated with Terry Callier on the single "Brother to Brother", which featured on Callier's ninth studio album Speak Your Peace . That same year, he teamed up with electronic rock duo Death in Vegas on
14637-402: Was recorded in October 2018 at London's Royal Festival Hall with an orchestra. Weller's fifteenth solo studio album, On Sunset , was released 3 July 2020 and debuted atop the UK Albums Chart, giving Weller UK number-one albums spanning five consecutive decades. He joins the Beatles' John Lennon and Paul McCartney in having the distinction. His number-one albums: The Gift , as part of
14760-563: Was released on 2 June 2008, with "Echoes Round the Sun" as the lead single. Weller had parted company with his existing band before the recording this album, replacing everyone except guitarist Steve Cradock with Andy Lewis on bass, Andy Crofts of the Moons on keyboards and Steve Pilgrim of the Stands on drums. This album saw Weller move in a more experimental direction, taking in a wide variety of influences including jazz, folk and tango as well as
14883-407: Was small. On good land one acre might produce 17 bushels of wheat (compared to 73 bushels an acre in the 1960s), or 26 of barley or 22 of oats. After 1300 prosperity was more tenuous owing to a combination of over-population, land shortages and depleted soils. The loss of life in the Great Famine of 1315–1317 shook the English economy severely, and population growth ceased. The first outbreak of
15006-678: Was that of the Tolpuddle Martyrs of 1834, an early attempt at a union whose members were tried on a spurious charge, found guilty and transported to Australia. The sentence was challenged and they were released shortly afterwards, but unions were still threatened. It was not until the formation of the TUC in 1868 and the passing of the Trade Union Act 1871 that union membership became reasonably legitimate. Many pieces of legislation were passed to improve working conditions, including
15129-439: Was the best-selling import-only single to date in the UK charts. "Before the Jam split up, I just felt it was time for me to move on, just artistically and creatively. I needed to find something different and different kind of avenues to make music, and a different way of making music." Weller, reflecting on his decision to end the band, in a 2007 interview with Billboard . Having already told Buckler and Foxton that he
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