Boy George – Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello award-winning singer, songwriter & musician

At first glance, Boy George – the androgynous, flamboyant chameleon of Culture Club – and Paul Weller – the sharp-suited, snarling frontman of The Jam – might seem to occupy opposite ends of the British music spectrum. Yet, beneath the surface of their distinct public personas lies a fascinating and enduring connection – a story of mutual respect, shared history, and a surprising number of personal and professional intersections.

In my latest podcast episode – a twenty-minute chat originally recorded for my upcoming authorised oral history, Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire – Boy George unravels the threads of their decades-long relationship, revealing a bond forged in the crucible of eighties pop culture and sustained by a shared, unwavering passion for music.

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A Tale of Two First Meetings: From Wardour Street to the BBC

Every great story has a beginning – theirs has two. The first was a classic “stars in your eyes” moment for a young, pre-fame George O’Dowd, who first saw Weller on Wardour Street in the late punk era. Dressed in a striking blue suit with his signature mod haircut, Weller made an instant impression. “He stood out,” George recalled, a testament to Weller’s powerful presence even before The Jam’s breakthrough.

Their formal introduction came later, around 1984, likely at the BBC bar. By then, both were established stars. As George remembers, while many bands were dismissive of Culture Club’s flamboyance, Paul Weller was different: “When you met someone that was cool, but they were nice, it made a difference.”

Punk, Mods, and Musical Magpies: A Shared DNA

Boy George astutely identified a “punk attitude” in The Jam’s early music. While Paul Weller has always been clear about his mod roots, he has also acknowledged the vital importance of the punk movement in shaking up the stagnant 70s music scene. He saw The Jam as outsiders, a band from Woking with a unique identity that drew from both punk’s energy and mod’s style. This “magpie” tendency is a key shared trait. Both artists have a history of drawing from a wide range of influences, from rock and roll and the blues to soul and, in Weller’s case, a late love for David Bowie – a development that delighted the “massive Bowie fan” Boy George.

The 80s Social Scene: Timmy Mallet, ‘Number One’ and Japan…

The 1980s were a whirlwind of creative energy and social interaction, and Boy George and Paul Weller were right at the heart of it. Their shared history is peppered with memorable moments that offer a glimpse into the vibrant music scene of the era.

Piccadilly Radio Interview (1983): Joining Timmy Mallett’s radio show on Piccadilly radio in an interview with Tracie Young, Paul Weller was quick to praise Culture Club, a notable exception in an interview where he was openly dismissive of many of his contemporaries. This early public endorsement is a key piece of evidence of his genuine respect for Boy George’s talent.

Number One Magazine Feature (Dec 1984) In the festive issue of Number One magazine, Boy George interviewed Paul Weller and, most memorably, did his makeup for the accompanying photoshoot. This playful interaction speaks volumes about their easy camaraderie.

The article opens with George reflecting on their first meeting, admitting he initially found Weller distant, perhaps due to mismatched expectations. However, as the conversation unfolds, George comes to appreciate Weller’s idealism and sincerity, particularly in his commitment to social issues and working-class causes. Weller is portrayed as someone who genuinely cares about the impact of his work, both musically and politically, even if that sometimes leads him to be perceived as naïve.

The discussion delves into Weller’s views on the decline of traditional working-class communities and the broader social changes under Thatcher’s government. He speaks candidly about the importance of solidarity and the need for artists to use their platform responsibly. George notes Weller’s charisma and the way he balances his passion for music with a strong sense of purpose. Despite occasional differences in outlook, there is mutual respect between the two, with George acknowledging Weller’s ability to inspire through both his words and actions.

Rock in Japan (1985): In the summer of 1985, a fascinating and somewhat unlikely pairing of British music royalty descended upon Japan for the “Rock in Japan ’85” festival tour. On one side of the bill was Culture Club, the globally adored pop phenomenon led by the iconic Boy George, whose flamboyant style and universally relatable anthems had conquered the charts. On the other was The Style Council, the politically charged and stylistically sharp creation of Paul Weller, fresh from his days in The Jam. This tour represented a unique cultural moment, showcasing two of the UK’s most powerful, yet ideologically opposed, musical forces to a captivated Japanese audience, offering a vivid snapshot of the sheer diversity of the British music scene at its absolute peak.

The tour was a multi-act festival package that brought a slice of the British charts to a dedicated Japanese audience. The primary acts were Culture Club and The Style Council, but the line-up also featured popular acts The Associates and Go West, making it a significant event for any “Yōgaku” (Western music) fan in Japan.

The tour was a tale of two distinct musical offerings. Audiences were treated to Culture Club’s masterclass in global pop, with a setlist powered by world-famous hits like ‘Karma Chameleon’ and ‘Do You Really Want to Hurt Me.’ In sharp contrast, The Style Council delivered an intense and politically charged performance, drawing from their acclaimed album Our Favourite Shop with powerful anthems like ‘Walls Come Tumbling Down!’ and ‘Shout to the Top!’

From Studio to Stage: The Musical Collaborations

The mutual respect between Boy George and Paul Weller has also manifested in a series of memorable musical collaborations. Boy George’s guest vocals on the track ‘One Tear’ for on Paul Weller’s 2017 album, A Kind Revolution. was a delightful surprise, his soulful tone blending seamlessly with Weller’s sound.

Wrapped up in a spacious, dub-inspired production, where hypnotic percussion and rolling bass create a pulsing undercurrent beneath the shared vocals. The song has a meditative, almost cinematic ambience with hints of house music, as noted by Uncut: its filtered disco sensibility helps to shape the track’s propulsive, head-nodding groove.

Check out the remixes here…

This collaboration reached its zenith in 2021. During Paul Weller’s stunning orchestrated show at the Barbican with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, he invited Boy George on stage. The song they performed? A heartfelt and beautiful rendition of The Style Council’s classic, ‘You’re the Best Thing.’ It was a powerful moment, a public confirmation of their bond and a beautiful bridging of their two distinct musical worlds.

An Enduring Friendship: Mutual Respect and a Prolific Spirit

Ultimately, the story of Boy George and Paul Weller is one of an enduring friendship built on a foundation of mutual respect. They are two artists who have navigated the treacherous waters of the music industry for decades, never losing their creative fire or their commitment to their craft. Their relationship is a testament to the fact that true artistic connection transcends genre and image. It’s a story of two British icons who, despite their differences, found common ground in their shared passion and their unwavering dedication to the power of music.

Karma is the definitive autobiography from music and LGBTQ+ icon, Boy George – the fabulous Grammy, Brit and Ivor Novello award-winning lead singer of 80s pop/reggae band, Culture Club.

Told in his inimitable style, Karma reflects on Boy George’s life as a kid growing up in sixties London, through the hedonism of the seventies and the glam rock and punk rock revolution that birthed Culture Club, and the heydays of the nineties meeting musical legends like David Bowie, Madonna and Prince – as well as addressing all those rumours. The book will reveal the highs and lows of love, loss, addiction, recovery, prison, and celebrity on Boy George’s journey through fame to finally embracing the man and artist that he is today: ‘I went to a lot of trouble to create Boy George and then I went through a whole battle for years about not wanting to be him. But now I enjoy and embrace it in a way that I wasn’t able to as a young person…. I’m learning to be George Alan O’Dowd from Eltham who it turns out is quite an interesting person.’

With all the humour, honesty, sarcasm (and hats!) that you’d expect, Karma gives us a unique insight into Boy George’s incredible story and the true evolution of a music icon.

‘Culture Club is always going to be one of those lovers I go back to. I’ve railed against it and that Boy George character I created. For years I convinced myself I was a creature of habit, unchangeable, immovable. But eventually you have to look in the mirror. Not looking for spots, looking for something deeper. Why the hell am I here? I would say life is the point of life.’

New Album – 2025 – Boy George – SE18

Boy George has gone old-school with his new reggae album SE18, named after the London postcode where he grew up in the late 1970s. Featuring ten tracks including Be Good To Yourself, Vibe in the City, and The World Is Cool, this release won’t be available on streaming services – it’s CD and vinyl only, ordered direct by mail here. “I’m taking it right back,” George told This Morning. “My audience doesn’t seem to care about streaming. They like the product, the lyrics.”