‘I don’t think that Paul cares about what we’re doing’
Russell Hastings, guitarist and frontman with From The Jam, talks to KEVIN COOPER about the death of Ranking Roger, a tour with Glenn Tilbrook, buying Bruce Foxton a steam iron – and the 40th anniversary of The Jam’s Setting Sons
How have you been preparing for the tour? Me and Bruce (Foxton) were listening to the album a couple of days ago now, whilst driving, and thinking which ones we must work on, such as Wasteland which we don’t play that often. We were also laughing that it’s 40 years since the album was released.
Will you be playing it in its entirety or dipping in and out?
From the very first telephone ring on Girl On The Phone to the very last flute on Wasteland. It’s funny, really, because Bruce and I were trying to work out what the instrument was on Wasteland that is playing the melody line and it is a flute. It was Paul (Weller) who played it. In fact, when I first met Paul many years ago, he answered the door to the studio with a flute in his hand. He looked a bit like Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, to be honest. He played on your album, Smash The Clocks, didn’t he? How was that?
It was great to not only work and record with Paul, but it was great for me to stand and watch him at work. He really did put some nice icing on the cake on two of our albums; Smash The Clock and Back In The Room. He actually played the flute on one of the tracks – Window Shopping.
Both Bruce and Rick (Buckler) told me some funny stories about how they once set light to his cheesecloth shirt in the studio while he had his back to them.
And of course, we also have Russell Hastings Does Motown because Heatwave is on Setting Sons.
That’s right. And what a great track and if you can get the tempo right it really does put a smile on everyone’s face. Is there any one particular track from Settings Sons that you are really looking forward to performing?
Burning Sky. I was running it through with my son this morning, and we both agreed that it is such a beautifully written song. Also, Thick As Thieves and Wasteland is just a beautiful song, with lyrics like: “The dirty linen, the holy Coca-Cola tins, the punctured footballs, the ragged dolls, the rusting bicycles, we’ll sit and probably hold hands, and watch the rain fall, watch it, watch it.” Paul was very good at describing what he saw around him.
Can you and Bruce believe just how popular From The Jam have become?
I must be totally honest with you and say no. When we first started, we weren’t sure how long it was going to last at all. We know that the tour in Australia is completely sold out
now, Japan and Hong King are both just about to sell out, which is great especially when you take on board the fact that they are gigs outside of this country. The UK leg of the tour is almost sold out so really that is a testament to the strength of the songs from that period. Also the way that it has been portrayed now means we are not treading on anybody’s toes doing it. It is a very difficult thing for somebody to come in and, I’m not going to use the word take Paul’s place because I would never dream about taking Paul’s place, which is not what my intentions are. What I will say is that I have now got the position which Paul held on stage, if that is the right way of putting it. I have put my own spin on things because I very rarely think of Paul, only when I might bump into him, or see him via some friends, or something like that. I go out there and do what I do, and Bruce does what he does so I regard myself as being one of the cogs in the wheel which enables From The Jam to happen.
Having said all of that, has Paul ever given the band his seal of approval?
I don’t think that Paul would give anything his seal of approval (laughs). He is always very friendly, he has got his thing that is going on and I really don’t think that he cares too much about what we are doing.
You and Bruce have been out on the road playing some acoustic dates. Will we be seeing that happening again soon? Yes, you will, and again, that is something that will be happening sometime early next year. It should be good as we are currently having talks with our old mate Glenn Tilbrook
to see if he would like to join us on an acoustic tour. So hopefully it will be Glenn and us on the road, bashing out some of the classics from that period. We are looking at getting that together for next April and May.
The last time that I photographed you was a couple of years ago now and you were being supported by The Beat featuring the late Ranking Roger, who sadly passed away in March.
That was very sad. I spoke to Roger just a few days prior to his passing and I have to say that he was one of the nicest people that I ever met. He really was a beautiful character. Roger is a great loss.
From The Jam play Rock City, Nottingham on November 17. For tickets visit alttickets. com.