The Jam is an English band formed in 1972 in Woking and originally composed of Paul Weller, Steve Brookes and Rick Buckler.
It will take them 5 years before they succeed in standing out from the crowd and being signed by a label worthy of the name, namely Polydor Records, label which allows them to release a first album "In the city" the same year. Politically engaged album which will know a nice success across the Channel in particular thanks to the single of the same name which will be extracted from it.
The same year released another single called “All around the world”, a non-album single which allowed the group to gain strength. Rise in power confirmed in the wake of the album "This is the modern world" which also came out in 1977. Album whose flagship single will be "The modern world" and which gives the group its first success in the USA.
New album "All mod cons" a year later in 1978, album which allows the group to move to a new level notably thanks to the titles "David Watts" and "Down in the tube station at midnight".
1979 saw the release on the one hand of 2 new hit singles, "Strange town" and "When you’re young", two singles that will be released outside the album. And on the other hand from the album "Setting sons", once again politically engaged, album which will be the first to achieve worldwide recognition worthy of the name and whose flagship single will be "The Eton rifles".
The beginning of consecration arrives from the year 1980 with the release of a new single which will produce 2 hits with side A and side B thanks to the titles "Going underground" but also, and especially "Dreams of children”. Single double title which gives the group its first title ranked No.1 in the English Charts.
1980 was particularly favorable for the group with the release in the wake of the album "Sound affects", album carried at arm's length by the single "Start !" which came out the same year and to a lesser extent by "That’s entertainment" which would be released a year later in 1981.
New singles outside the album still in 1981 with the titles "Funeral pyre" and "Absolute beginners". Two singles that will once again be popular with the public on a planetary level.
But the consecration, the real one, came in 1982 with the release of what will remain as the biggest success of all their discography on the album side with the album "The gift". The album hit the shelves with the huge single "Town called malice", a single that will also remain their biggest hit of all their single discography.
An exceptional year 1982 for the group with the release off album of 2 other singles of very big caliber which are "The biterrest pill (I ever had to swallow)" and "Beat surrender". Two new notorious successes which will unfortunately be the last, Paul Weeler having decided to leave the group to form a new group called Style Council. A departure that will definitively seal the fate of the Jam ...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
In the city 1977
All around the world 1977
News of the world 1978
Down in the tube station at midnight 1978
Strange town 1979
When you're young 1979
The Eton rifles 1979
Dreams of children 1980
Going underground 1980
Start 1980
That’s entertainment 1981
Absolute beginners 1981
Town called malice 1982
Precious 1982
The bitterest pill (I ever had to swallow) 1982
Beat surrender 1982
Clips :
1977 ... beginnings to say the least punchy and which especially allow the group to obtain its first classified title. Ideal start as they say !
1977 ... in the same vein. A 100 % rock style typical of the time and showing a more than obvious potential. A potential just waiting to be expressed ...
1978 ... we change the year but the pace is also sustained. An overspeed that fits well with the latest trends of the moment but be careful not to abuse it ...
1978 ... well it is clear that it will not be during this year 1978 that the group will dare to slow down. For the moment, it is thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly !
1979 ... one should not expect great progress on the sound side during this year 1979. The group continues to unroll quietly without asking too many questions ...
1979 ... there is success but the success remains confined mainly to England. It is clear that the group will have to evolve a little on the sound side to hope to break through internationally in a significant way ...
1979 ... the mutation is underway even if the changes are tiny. The group is finally starting to make people talk about himself outside its natural borders and it bodes well for the rest of the adventure ...
1980 ... the transition to the following decade is made on the same sound bases as the previous year. Nothing very new to wait for now ...
1980 ... everything is stable in the overspeed. A factory brand that the group claims loud and clear and that it does not really intend to modify in anything for the moment ...
1980 ... where most of the English groups of the moment have introduced a minimum base of electronics in their sound, the group remains frantically braced on its fundamentals. For how much longer...
1981 ... a more subtle track even if the tempo is still somewhat high. Would the group finally initiate the long-awaited salutary turn that will allow him to exist at the highest level for a few more years during this decade. Hum hum...
1981 ... there is a slight improvement, it is clear but still not enough to produce THE title which would allow them to finally obtain their direct ticket for posterity. We will have to be a little more patient ...
1982 ... patience and above all their repeated efforts will finally pay off with THIS title. Here they finally get the planetary recognition after which they have been chasing for years. It was time. HU-GE !
1982 ... the year of the consecration with a series of top hits of great caliber. The group is at the height of its art but unfortunately it may not last ...
1982 ... plethora of titles in this year 1982 and quality on every level. Too bad the group has finally found its cruising speed and that the adventure is about to end ...
1982 ... the last stand. 5 years of existence and the group is already withdrawing. Here they sign a last classified title before everyone regains their freedom and sets sail towards other musical heavens ...
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