The Jam
A popular punk/rock band in Britain in the late 1970s and 1980s. The Clash fared third after The Jam and The Sex Pistols in popularity. With more than 22 releases between 1977 and 1997, The Jam didn't make it as big in the U.S. as they did in Britain, where they were genuine superstars. They were the only group, aside from the Beatles, to perform two songs on Top of the Pops. The Jam included members Paul Weller (guitarist/vocalist/songwriter), Rick Buckler (drummer), Bruce Foxton (bassist), and Steve Brookes (guitarist). Brookes left The Jam early on, leaving The Jam a trio—as they stayed. They released In This City (1977) which climbed the charts in England. That summer they released This is the Modern World and embarked on a U.S. tour, which was not at all successful. Their failed U.S. tour left bad memories for the band that were reinforced with their second failed U.S. tour in 1978. Despite lack of success in the U.S., The Jam achieved superstar status in Britain. In 1979, the band released All Mod Cons, an album said to reflect a more melodic, lyrical, pop-sound than the earlier releases. They followed with Setting Sons (1979), Sound Affects (1980), The Gift (1982), and two live records, Dig the New Breed (1982) and Peel Sessions (1990). Although at the height of their popularity, The Jam performed their farewell tour in the fall of 1982. Weller formed another band, The Style Council, soon after. He embarked on a solo career in the early 1990s. The Jam's music continues to have influence. Allmusic writes, “The legacy of the Jam is apparent in nearly every British guitar-pop band of the '80s and '90s, from the Smiths to Blur and Oasis. More than any other group, the Jam kept the tradition of three-minute, hook-driven British guitar-pop alive through the '70s and '80s, providing a blueprint for generations of bands to come.”
Jakob Dylan frequently cites The Jam as an important group for his musical influence. According to the Detroit Free Press, Jakob Dylan and Tobi Miller “ met during fifth grade and shared a love of British new wave bands such as the Clash and the Jam. They started playing music together in the eighth grade -- though Dylan didn't start writing his own songs in earnest until four years ago.” (3.12.93)
Jakob Dylan also says, "I still have framed posters of The Clash, The Jam, The Exploited. I still have a sweaty vest Joe Strummer gave me 10 years ago." (The Guardian 626.97)
