The Jam were an English punk rock/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped clothes, and they incorporated a number of mainstream 1960s rock and R&B influences rather than rejecting them, placing The Jam at the forefront of the mod revival movement.
They had 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the United Kingdom, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1982, including four number one hits. As of 2007, "That's Entertainment" and "Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero?" remained the best-selling import singles of all time in the UK. They released one live album and six studio albums, the last of which, The Gift, hit number one on the UK album charts. The band drew upon a variety of stylistic influences over the course of their career, including 1960s beat music, soul, rhythm and blues and psychedelic rock, as well as 1970s punk and new wave. The trio was known for its melodic pop songs, its distinctly English flavour and its mod image.
The Jam launched the career of Paul Weller, who went on to form The Style Council and later had a successful solo career. Weller wrote and sang most of The Jam's original compositions, and he played lead guitar, using a Rickenbacker 330. Bruce Foxton provided backing vocals and prominent basslines, which were the foundation of many of the band's songs, including the hits "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight", "The Eton Rifles", "Going Underground" and "Town Called Malice" mainly using a Rickenbacker 4001 and a Fender Precision Bass and rarely an Epiphone Rivoli.
Paul Weller, with The Jam, performing live onstage at Guildford Civic Hall in June 1981
Paul Weller with The Jam onstage for a soundcheck at the Rainbow Theatre, London in December 1978
Paul Weller, from The Jam, dressing for a cover shoot for 'The Face' in London in March 1983
The Jam, featuring Paul Weller, taken backstage before they performed at Reading's Top Rank in June 1977
Paul Weller onstage with The Jam during a gig at the Friars, Aylesbury in June 1978.
Paul Weller, with The Jam, plugging in his guitar live onstage at the Rainbow Theatre, London in April 1980.
Paul Weller, with The Jam, backstage at Wembey Arena, wearing a Rubber Soul belt, before performing in December 1982
Liam wearing the famous brown check coat that never seemed to come off during the tour and watching the sound-check intently as was his way.
This is my preferred time of year to shoot, whereby the sun is low and casts wonderful long shadows. This setting in Hyde Park was perfect.
Inner sleeve artwork for Pink Floyd's album Wish You Were Here. The nude woman in the inner sleeve is absent from first viewing
Cat Stevens (real name Yusuf Islam) is a British singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, humanitarian, and education philanthropist
Squeeze are a British band formed in Depford, London in 1974 that came to prominence during the new wave period of the late 1970s.
Pink Floyd are currently getting set for the 'Their Mortal Remains' exhibition at the V&A - Check out our range of images for sale.
The Pretenders, led by lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde, crossed the bridge between punk and pop with their melodic yet hard, spiky songs
Pink Floyd's sublime music of hope and despair, touches all nationalities and is as meaningful today as it was when conceived.
Album covers can define a band almost as much as the music itself. Now you can put this great art on your wall as well as your turntable
Here are the very latest prints we have added to our collection. We hope you love them as much as we do.
All prints by Mick Rock are signed and printed in limited editions of 90 on Archival 260gsm Semi-Matt paper.
