A life in pictures: Weller
Family played a huge part in Paul Weller nailing his ambition ‘to be someone’. His sister Nicky spoke to Scootering, and allowed us a glimpse of that life, in pictures...
Nicky Weller has delved into her archives to share some personal photographs and memories of life chez Weller before and after their world became a stage.
Paul’s dad, John, managed his career from The Jam’s early days on the Woking club circuit through to his mid-1990s solo resurgence as Britpop’s Modfather, while sister Nicky and mum Ann ran the fan club throughout each musical gear shift. Having expertly co-curated the Jam-inspired exhibition ‘About the Young Idea’ in 2015, Nicky has returned to the archives to share some personal photographs and memories of life chez Weller before and after their world became a stage.
Nicky, Mum and Paul in Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex circa 1967: Selsey Bill and Bracklesham Bay were typical holiday destinations for us as kids. Paul As a looks bored out of his box in this picture – it was probably his last holiday with us. family we’d go on lots of day trips – anything longer would have been too expensive. after Mum and Dad’s first proper foreign holiday was a trip to Spain (Aunty Mary looked me and Paul). While in Spain they were interviewed by Judith Chalmers for the TV in holiday show she presented, Wish You Were Here. Mum knitted the coat I’m wearing this picture. She was brilliant at that. Jumpers, hats, gloves; whatever was needed she’d be able to knock up with wool and knitting needles in a day.
ABOVE: I was born in Stanley Road and we lived there until the entire road was knocked down to make way for flats and offices. It meant we had to move to a council estate a bit further out of town in Maybury. The move was great ‘cause suddenly we had an indoor toilet and hot running water. My memories of the house in Stanley Road are of the cold – it was bloody freezing. You’d climb into bed and the sheets and blankets would be damp with cold. If you wanted to wash your hair or something you had to boil kettles. But our domestic circumstances were no different to anyone else we knew. Mum had about three jobs, while Dad was a bricklayer. One of his little DIY projects at Stanley Road involved him converting our outdoor coal bunker into an indoor bathroom. The council would’ve gone mad had they found out.
This is another Balmoral Drive pic. Mum and Dad worked hard to make sure the band went as far as they did. I think that’s why fans could relate so easily to The Jam: it really was a family affair. Dad was always really friendly with the fans and everybody, as we all were. One thing Dad said that always resonated with me and Paul was: “Be nice to people on the way up, ‘cause you never know what might happen on the way down.” It’s a good creed to live by.
This was taken at Balmoral Drive, where we moved 1977. By that time to from Stanley Road in things were starting to get a little crazy in terms attention the band was of the getting. Fans would pitch outside our house, up in tents on the green but it never became a problem – they were just would invite them kids. in for Mum The room tea and sandwiches.
I’m pictured in was like a coal shed, which Mum office. I was still at school, turned into a little and running the fan club were getting hundreds was a lot of work. We of letters a day. Our ethos value for money was to ensure fans got when they joined the club. signed stuff I’d always make sure the before they went off on band a big tour, and answered get a few weirdos write letters. We’d in with some strange requests; none of which are fit for publication in a magazine.
Dad was going to see The Jam’s US record label in New York and asked if I wanted to come. He was great like that. At other times he’d be like, “Come on, we’re going to Top of the Pops”, when I was supposed to be going to school. Mum would always write a note for the teacher to cover my absence. We’d be fined for that sort of thing nowadays. Dad and I flew to New York by Concorde, which was amazing. I don’t think the American record company executives had met anyone quite like Dad, but they loved him. They thought he was a character who was as straight-talking as them. They’d be like, “Let’s do lunch” and Dad would go, “No. Let’s just talk business, and then I’ll be off, thanks.”