The Jam – Dig The New Breed

Discogs needs a new category for this and the like - Live Albums.

Superb review 'RudeRomantic' - I can add nothing more!
Will appeal to Weller fans and non-fans alike.

Got a GEMA, Made in , Polydor 2383 658. Not on discogs at this time.

Dig the old breed.

If you’re looking for stadium rock with ranks of lighters held aloft and guitar solos against sunsets over ancient monuments, then you’re in the wrong place. But if you want to feel as if you are two rows from the front, being jostled by those pogoing and jumping around you, getting crushed as the crowd rush the stage and being showered in sweat each time the guitarist shakes their head, then step right in. This album provides what no other contemporary Jam release can - a glimpse into the experience that was seeing and hearing The Jam live. Essential if, like me, you were too young (just) to be there yourself. Not for The Jam banks of video screens, light shows and pyrotechnics, here the music speaks for itself and the recordings are so crisp that you feel that you are right there among the crowd with the smell of smoke, beer, sweat and perfume.

The album starts ‘In The City’ - in the 100 club in London’s Oxford Street (just 4 mins. from Wardour Street of ‘A-bomb’ fame) with a young loud brash post-punk threesome playing to the small numbers that can fit into the place. It is unlikely that many in the crowd realised they were watching what were to become one of the most successful and influential British bands over the coming years. By the next track the band had found its unique voice as ‘All Mod Cons’ morphs into ‘To Be Someone’ which is followed by ‘Its Too Bad’ - all from the Rainbow, London in 1979 - and all crisp, punchy and catchy. We then move to the Hammersmith Palais in London 1981 for 'Start' with its familiar bassline (courtesy of the Beatles 'Taxman'), a chant-like cover of Eddie Floyd’s ‘Big Bird’ and ending with the highly political 'Set The House Ablaze' with its stunning drum finale.

Things start a bit quieter on the other side with the mournful ‘Ghosts’ (Birmingham 1982) moving back to speedy post-punk politics with ‘Standards’ (Reading University 1979) before slowing down again for ‘In The Crowd’ (Edinburgh 1982). Moving west to Glasgow for the finale, the next track needs no introduction as its opening chords announce the band’s first U.K. No.1 ‘Going Underground’ followed by the tortured ‘Dreams of Children’, the anthemic and iconic ‘That’s Entertainment’ and climaxing with the harrowing ‘Private Hell’.

And then the band leave the stage - never to be seen together again. Paul Weller embarks on the Style Council, while Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckley are left in the knowledge that they were part of one of the greatest bands of their time. And as a parting shot they leave this time-capsule of an album which bottles the essence of The Jam Live and with it the angst and torment of growing up in Thatcher’s Britain among its unemployment and greed.

Times may have been bad - but the music was great. Now That Was Entertainment. Get digging.