Thick as Thieves: Personal Situations with The Jam [Paperback]

The inimitable intro of the late John Weller that ignited the fury that followed. An unforgettable experience for anybody who ever attended these gigs and this book captures that spirit, emotion, energy wonderfully through the memories of the fans who where there. What has struck me most is just how similar the experiences and feelings were among the fans. At the time I thought this was "my" band, an absolute obsession, studying sleeve notes, tracks played to death, hitting play record - with often poor timing - on the cassette to capture any TV/Radio appearance, all four bedroom walls plastered in any image I could find of the band, Jam button badges on the school tie, first trip from south coast to the big City to buy the bowling shoes that Weller was wearing, Monday lunchtimes sneaking out of school to go buy the new single, and the BIG deal; a new album. But of course it was not "my" band it was "our' band and this book reunites that generation wonderfully. This is no nostalgia trip, it is a reminder that the events and experiences of this period of early teenage life and the impact the band had on you has made you who you are today. The debt of gratitude we have to Weller in particular for kicking us up the arse and telling us never to accept the humdrum, always to fight for what you believe to be right,never give up; and as was ultimately the reason for the bands demise; always move on and go out knowing you did as much as you could.

Unfortunately, my passion was not met by the funds to support it - the weekly financial consolidation of a paper round @ £3.50 a week, school dinner money and the occasional pocket money - so I missed so much and this book, as great as it is, has reminded me of that. Nevertheless, I got to see the band 4 times, including the last time they ever played together on 11/12/82 in Brighton and, as was common place, @ approx 3.00pm a rear door of the Brighton Centre opened and all the kids waiting for glimpse of the band to arrive for soundcheck were let in to the venue by John Weller. I among about 30 other kids stood watching, open mouthed I guess, our heroes sound check ("Move On Up" the only track I can remember) on the day that had already been declared the last time The Jam would ever play together. The only means of recalling this astonishing experience - a failing memory in a 40 something year old head; no camera (you were out on your ear if you took a camera into a venue in those days), no camera phone!

This band genuinely changed my life, if you were there it changed yours too; but you already know that.

If you have any interest in popular culture, musical heritage and the trio that crafted some of the finest singles from the 70's and 80's then this book is an essential purchase. The great thing about this book is that it features the thoughts of fans as well as those close to the band, some brilliant unreleased photo's and really takes this 40 something back to the excitement and exhilaration felt as a teenager, waiting for them to appear on TOTP, Saturday morning visits to Woolworths to pick up the single, hoping that one of your mates older brothers would take you along to one of their gigs. Reading this made me release that there were hundreds of kids my age in cities across the country thinking and doing the same as me. That's why this book is different to your normal band biography - it seeks to get beyond the usual 'band form, tour, get famous, split up' level.
If you in your 40's or older, go and buy this, remember how exciting it used to be. If you're younger, go and buy it to see just what you missed.....

Great book on the "Best band in the F****** World" Produced by the Fans for the Fans... An insiders view into what being a Teenage Jam obsessive felt like from the people that were actually there! Somehow, The Jam are often brushed aside in Retrospectives of music of the late 70's, early 80's (what? The Poilce were the UK's biggest band in the early 80's - really!?) this book gives passionate fan recollections of just how much The Jam meant to them during the peak of Thatcher's autocratic Divide and Rule demolition of Britain...

There are also some great contributions from people who worked closely with the band, from Bill Smith - the record sleeve designer, to Tracie Young, who sang back up on the band's final single 'Beat Surrender' and made an appearance on their final Top of The Pop's appearance, as the record went straight in the charts at Number 1...

Brilliantly designed, with many unseen Fan Photos and pictures of memorabilia, the authors have put together a fantastic tome for anyone who wants to remind themselves of just what a great 'People's Band' The Jam were (not that many need reminding)

As Paul Weller states in the Foreward (All 3 Jam Band member's make contributions)... "it amazes me to see that there were many Jam fans that were just 12, 13..." Well I was one of them, and luckily saw the Jam live 30 years ago, aged just 14, twice in that final year of 1982, beofre they split up for good, ... they mean as much to me now, as they did to me then!

BUY IT!!

"the best book on The Jam and It's audience I've ever seen!" Paul Weller September 2012