I love jam. It's one of my favourite foods. On toast, and especially on scones, not so much in sandwiches. Rhubarb jam is best, then blueberry... anything but strawberry, which is jam made for people who don't understand jam.
This year, I've had to seriously cut down my jam intake. It's become a once a month treat, if that. I miss my jam.
This week, we're looking at bands called The Jam. I mean, I might as well go home now, I'm not even going to ask you to vote... although you can if you wish, and it's your prerogative to swim against the tide, but...
(I will point out that I enforced the definite article this week. Usually I'm quite lax about whether bands use it or not, but in this case, there are loads of bands and artists who call themselves merely "Jam", and frankly, I couldn't be bothered with any of them.)
THE JAM #1
When Seymour Stein formed Sire Records in 1966, the first record he put out was by a Spokane group called The Jam. The weird thing about this single is that, while the B-side sounds like your standard perky 60s pop, the A-side is slower, moodier and... well, to me anyway, it sounds exactly like the kind of tune a certain Mr. Weller would specialise in later in his career.
THE JAM #2
I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pretending I have anything to say about this lot that you don't already know. Here's my favourite song by a band that knew that it's sometimes best to quit while you're ahead (even if two thirds of them didn't want to).
I am making some courgette and plum jam.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds lovely.
Delete5 jars made, now cooling
Deleteof course my vote goes to #1 (#2 I rank with the Irish band)
ReplyDeleteYou never cease to amaze me, George.
DeleteUnlike the professional contrarian above I will go with #2
ReplyDeleteThank you for restoring some sanity to proceedings, Ernie.
DeleteOoh, thank you Rol for the introduction to The Jam #1 and Loving Kind Of Way, completely new to me; I love that swirling Hammond organ and, as you say, you can hear the influence this kind of music had on Weller which shows through in his solo work.
ReplyDeleteBut #2 has to be my winner for so many reasons; memories evoked and spine duly tingled, etc.
C has said it all - very eloquently as ever. Jam #1 was a very enjoyable listen and totally agree about how it sounds spookily like later Weller.
ReplyDeleteNever heard #1 before (the song or the band). There's a Small Faces vibe in there too (another of Weller's go-to for inspiration (nicking?))
ReplyDeleteNice enough, but was it ever going to beat #2?