This is a lovely story about Paul Weller (especially if you’re a fan of Paul Weller)
The fabulous Pete Paphides shared this story about Paul Weller and very lovely it is too (with the occasional unexpected twist and turn).
1.
If you were lucky enough to start buying records in the days of The Jam, you will have spent most of your life in correspondence with Paul Weller, through the records he’s made over the ensuing decades. (1/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
2.
Really, I’ve so much to say about Weller and a lot of it – especially his huge effect on my generation of music fans – is covered in sections of the book I’m currently writing. (2/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
3.
His ability to assimilate the political and the personal into a single poetic worldview was second-to-none at this time. In that regard, he really was our Dylan. (3/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
4.
But I’ll hold off for now and tell one story about him which, I think, speaks volumes about the man and about his staying power as an artist. (4/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
5.
The first time I interviewed him was in 2005, in the offices of his then-label V2, shortly after the release of As Is Now. (5/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
6.
I was nervous because: (a) he’s one of my musical heroes; and (b) I’d heard he doesn’t suffer fools gladly. (6/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
7.
I wasn’t quite prepared for how funny and engaged he was – and also how many questions he asked (I’ve since heard the same from a lot of his interviewers). He even remembered what I’d told him about my family on subsequent interviews. (7/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
8.
Halfway through the interview, a heavily made-up goth walked into the room, and he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave. After a while, Weller introduced me to him. It was his son Natt. (8/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
9.
When I wrote the piece, I mentioned the encounter not really trying to conceal my mild amusement that the Modfather ended up having a son who was a goth. (9/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
10.
A week later, on the day, the piece ran, I got a call from his PR telling me to be ready for a call from Weller himself. (10/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
11.
I was a bit worried that I’d overstepped the line, and as a result, had incurred the wrath of one of my heroes. (11/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
12.
Finally, a few hours later, the phone rang. “Alright Pete,” he said briskly. “It’s Paul here. Paul Weller.” (12/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
13.
“Hi Paul. Everything OK?” I asked. “Yeah, there’s just one thing. You know that CD you gave me?” (13/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
14.
[At this point, I need to explain that one thing I tend to do when I interview musicians is compile a CD of songs that I think they might like. I don’t imagine many of them don’t get around to listening to them but I always feel it’s a nice gesture] (14/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
15.
“Oh, the CD? Sure. Yes, what about it?” (15/28)
— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) May 24, 2018
