Weller’s not for Jammin’

PAUL SNUBS OLD PALS

THE Jam’s drummer Rick Buckler admits the band will never reform.

Rick says he tried to reconnect with frontman Paul Weller for years, but says Paul wants nothing to do with the band. Rick, 61, says he’s sent dozens of Christmas cards and made numerous phone calls but now accepts his old pal has cut him out for good. And the same goes for bassist Bruce Foxton, who was also desperate to save their friendship after Paul quit the band 35 years ago.

Rick told me: “It’s Paul’s choice really.

Stoney

“Myself and Bruce have tried very hard to stay in touch with Paul over the years but it’s all fallen on stoney ground, so unfortunately you just give up.

“You just have to stop sending them Christmas cards in the end, there’s only so much you can do, I’m not holding my breath.”

The pair attempted to get the band together for one last gig when they opened The Jam’s memorabilia exhibition About The Young Idea in London in 2015 – but they claim Paul made his feelings clear.

Rick continued: “He seems absolutely dead set against there ever being any kind of reform, and every time he gets asked about it it’s always a categorical no.

“I don’t know why he’s taken that view but that’s up to him, and of course it takes three to tango in this case.

“I suppose Paul feels he doesn’t need to, he certainly doesn’t want to.”

Paul recently welcomed his eighth child and when asked where Paul gets the energy from, Rick joked: “Well, that’s another story.”

Pint

Rick will be talking more about The Jam when he hosts a series of lock-ins, as part of Bombardier’s A Pint With a Unique Character pub event.

So if you fancy sharing a pint with the legend visit the Eventbrite website for ticket details.