Episode 156: David Rowe – Super-Fan turns Merch-Man… A 45-year love story from The Jam to The Style Council to Paul Weller Solo…

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David Rowe - Episode 156 Artwork
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On this episode of the podcast, we take a journey from The Jam to Paul Weller Solo via two super-fans… and a wonderful love story…
David Rowe, and his partner, Jo White, have been to around 450 live shows and have some incredible stories and connections over the past 45 years… including joining the merchandise team for The Style Council and Paul Weller Solo!.

David met Jo at school in St.Austell (double history) when she moved to Cornwall from Bounds Green, North London in 1978. They got the same bus to and from school (Jo to Pentewan, and David to Mevagissey). As you’ll hear on the podcast, Jo introduced David to The Jam and they formed a great friendship through the music and live performances.

Jo moved back to London in March 1984 when she started her nursing career in Paediatric Intensive Care.
In April 1984, David started working as a Postman in St.Austell but left when he didn’t have enough annual leave to do the 2nd Style Council tour in October 1984!.

David moved to London in 1985 and inspired by messages & campaigning from Paul Weller… he worked for The BUAV (The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) , Greenpeace UK and then Amnesty International, where he worked for 26 years…

In 1985, David and Jo started doing ad-hoc merchandising work for Brian Hawkins, who had done The Jam’s merchandise before doing The Style Council.
It started off just selling programmes after gigs and gradually they helped to set up and travelled with Brian, culminating in working on the early Paul Weller solo tours and the U.S. gigs in December 1991 and all Weller solo UK tours until the end of 1992 when Brian sadly lost the contract.
Their only stipulation on doing the merch was that they clocked off at show time and came back out to sell after the encore!.

David says “We’ve attended about 450 Shows (The Jam, The Style Council & Weller solo). Jo did a few more Jam shows than me. We did every Style Council UK tour date ( we both missed the Manchester Apollo gig on 12 October 1984 after the Wembley rail crash and I missed two more whilst doing The Communards ‘Red’ tour in 1987).“

Click your preferred podcast platform to listen…

EP156: David Rowe – Super-Fan turns Merch-Man… – Paul Weller Fan Podcast : Desperately Seeking Paul

A few things that we didn’t have time for (a future part 2?)…

Glastonbury 1985. White Levi’s and no tent! and the wettest/muddiest festival for decades.
April 1991 chatting with Paul after the Sound Check at the Subterranean gig, Paul presenting Jo with the Japanese CD version of the debut album.
August ‘91  The ‘fuck-off’ Studio party at Solid Bond after its sale. with Norman Jay on the decks.
‘92. A day at Nomis clearing up the Weller lock-up with Brian and a cuppa with Paul in the canteen.
March ‘94 Paul inviting us down to The Manor in Oxfordshire (where he recorded Wild Wood & Stanley Road) for the video shoot for the ‘Hung-up’ style single, with Lawrence Watson photoshoot.
Glastonbury’94. A real WOW moment!!
Aug 94 . ‘Jo & Dave’ getting a credit at the end of ‘Highlights & Hang Ups’ right at the end after John & Kenny! Blink and you might just miss it.
The massive year that was 1995: Stanley Road released. T in the Park, Phoenix Festival, Reading Festival and a month long UK tour ( all of which we did as fans)
Aug ‘95. VIP’s at Reading Festival, afternoon on the coach with just us & Paul.
30 Nov ‘95. End of tour party at the Studley Prior Hotel in Oxfordshire after 3 sell out gigs at Brixton Academy.
11 July ‘97. Getting followed in our car back to the hotel after the Carlisle Sands gig. A surprise birthday cake ( no stripper) for Paolo Hewitt.
9 July ‘98. Having a drink with Paolo H & Noel Gallagher at the Copthorne Hoel after the Plymouth Pavilion gig.
July 2005. Fred Perry gig at the 100 club
Jan 2007. VIP’s at ‘Hit Parade promotional dates in the USA. 3 gigs in New York and 3 in LA.
June 2008. Re-meeting Andy Kapusta and a 22 Dreams USA gigs and East coast road trip ( New York, Washington, Philadelphia and Chicago)

Some Photo Highlights…

Bournemouth International Centre – 6th June 1985.
Drunk in a boat rowing down the river Lee – Brian and David. circa 1985
Us. Circa 1990
raving in 1991
Merchandising in the USA. Me at the ‘Rosebowl’ in Pasadena. Weller solo USA gigs, December 1991
Merchandising in the USA. Jo chilling in our room at the Ritz Carlton in L.A. for the Weller solo gigs in the USA in December 1991
Jo with our snowman in the front garden in her ‘shout to the top’ Demob zippy. Jan 1987 ?
Getting Tracie to sign something after the Respond Posse gig at Dingwalls in my Style Council T-shirt. 1983
Having a drink or two in Jo’s room in Pentewan, Cornwall with Misty the German Shepherd.
Weller posters on the wall and Jo in her TSC T-shirt.1983
Jo & Brian. On the 1st or 2nd Weller solo tour ( PW Movement) 1991.
Jo & Brian. On the Weller solo tour ( PW Movement) 1991.
Merchandising in the USA. Pinocchio, Brian and David at Disneyland L.A. ’ Weller solo USA gigs December 1991
Jo ( front with duffle bag) as we marched on the Artists Against Apartheid rally, heading to Clapham Common to see The Style Council ( amongst others) 28 June 1986.
Brian with his daughter (Luana) and Jo at the Royal Albert Hall prior to the Weller solo gig on 13 October 1992.
9th October 1992. Lumley Castle for the 4th Weller Solo UK tour date at Newcastle City Hall.
L-R: Camille Hinds, Brian, David, Jo and Zeke Manyeka.
Merchandising in the USA.
L-R: Helen Turner, Camille Hinds, Jo and David at the ‘Giant Step’ club night on a night off in New York for the Paul Weller solo gig at the Ritz ( formerly ‘Club 54’) on 12 December 1991.
Merchandising in the USA. L-R: Helen Turner, Maurice Bernstein ( founder of Giant Step), Zeke Manyeka, Camille Hinds and Jo at the Giant Step club night on a night off in New York for the Paul Weller solo gig at the Ritz ( formerly Club 54) on 12 December 1991.
Jo at Balmoral Drive (home of the Weller family). – June 1981
Carly, Paul and George ‘Geordie’ Scobell. Backstage at TSC gig circa 1984.
Often at early Style Council gigs fans would be allowed backstage after the show for a meet and greet.
David and Brian in the pool at the Newport Centre after the Style Council gig on 15 February 1987 ( The General Election tour for The Cost of Loving album). The manager opened it just for David, Jo and Brian.
Jo in the mobile selling unit outside the Royal Albert Hall for The Style Council’s 4 nights at the venue ( 16-19 February 1987 on the General Election tour for The Cost of Loving album).
A dispute with the venue over merchandise sales meant that we sold from outside the venue, in a porta cabin
At the lovely Lumley Castle for the Style Council gigs at the Newcastle City Hall on 26 & 27 February 1987 on the General Election tour for the Cost of Loving Album. The tour bus can be seen on the far left
On tour at an unknown hotel in the UK.
Jo’s pic of Weller leaping at a Jam gig in his Lonsdale cycle shirt. Circa 1980/81
Drunk in a boat rowing down the river Lee – Jo and David. circa 1985
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Published by PaulWellerFanPodcast

The World’s first Paul Weller Fan Podcast - For the fans by the fans. A musical journey from In The City to Fat Pop (Vol 1). A radio broadcaster who gave up his career with one big regret. Never getting to interview the legendary British musician Paul Weller. This podcast exists purely to solve that issue. Welcome to Desperately Seeking Paul...

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