The Mod Corner

I was thirteen when The Jam split up - I couldn't get my young head around the most popular band in Britain splitting up at the height of their success. When I heard the first Style Council single it began to make sense. The first Jam album I remember getting as a Christmas gift was All Mod Cons - can't recall if it was when it came out in '78 or a year later, but do remember the joy of tearing the wrapping paper off and lovingly coveting this beautiful piece of vinyl. For the next couple of years I still listened to them but was now firmly obsessed by the 2 Tone movement, especially The Specials.

All this changed when I arrived at secondary school - one of my earliest memories was the Mod Corner. This was a group of guys a few years older who had parkas with Jam logos/patches on them who were the epitome of cool. Daily I would walk past, too nervous to approach them. By this time I was rekindling my love of all things Weller/Foxton/Buckler related. I was never a Mod per se, but loved all the music and the clothing. Sta-press were the trousers of the day and we were very fortunate in East Kilbride that we had a shop called Rig Out where you could literally rig yourself out in the latest Mod gear. 

Fast forward to '82 and the crushing news that The Jam had split up - to say I was gutted is quite the understatement. At thirteen, I thought my life had literally ended. I recall all the singles were re-released and all charted in the same week. Every time you turned on the radio you would hear The Jam. 

I was too young to see them live - and didn't have cooler, older friends to take me. I have been fortunate to see Weller live many times over the years, and can't really regret not seeing The Jam as it was an age thing. 

Six albums in five years, some truly great 7" singles and 4 number one hits - all by your early 20's - is quite astonishing. I still listen regularly to The Jam, but that time in the early 80's still holds such special memories, despite never getting close to the Mod Corner...