The Jam



A Beat Concerto 

If ever I had to appear on BBC Mastermind my first specialist subject would be The Jam.  The Woking Wonders have worked their magic for me since their first 7 inch single 'In the City' in 1977:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ipGhzrIi3seased

but as an 11 year old this was where I first clapped my eyes on The Jam:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv5gkJ424GE

All Around the World!

Introduced by my then Pop hero Marc Bolan on his brilliant TV show.

And not to forget Roger Taylor - the friendly tall lad who was a good footballer from the Birmingham Road in Great Barr who taped the In the City and This is the Modern World albums for us.  And my bro' Stevie getting All Mod Cons for Christmas in 1978.  Quite how he got into The Jam so young I'll never know.  And then he got Setting Sons,  Sound Affects and The Gift as his subsequent annual presents at yuletide. While I had to make do with The Boomtown Rats and Secret Affair.  Father Christmas can be a Bastard!

A Masterpiece

The Jam probably reached their peak in 1980 with the studied 'Going Underground':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE1ct5yEuVY

Meanwhile, I'll tuck this gem away in the tradition of great Jam B sides:

Ghosts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enhOMPFxRcA&feature=related

Even though it never was a B side.

Having read 100s of interviews and several books on the subject over the years no doubt I will return to the exploits of the Sheerwater Shouters in due course.