John Reed – Author of Paul Weller: My Ever Changing Moods

In this conversation, John Reed – music journalist, a former Research Editor of Record Collector magazine, Director of Catalogue at Cherry Red, and author of Paul Weller: My Ever Changing Moods – takes us on a journey through the many stages of Weller’s remarkable career.

Growing up entrenched in the Mod revival and drawn into The Jam’s world as a teenager, John became the “kid at school who liked The Jam,” long before he would ever dig deep into his music as a writer.

John shares stories from his early days as a fan (his first Jam shows in Brighton, his coming of age as a mod, and surviving the territorial world of Harrington jacket colours), to building a career in music journalism.

We hear his unique perspective on the trio dynamic of The Jam, his view on Bruce and Rick’s underrated contributions, and why Weller’s break-up of the band was both brave and necessary.

As a journalist and Record Collector writer, John’s work bridges the worlds of the fan and the chronicler – penning features, sleeve notes, and, ultimately, a much-loved biography. He shares what went into writing My Ever Changing Moods, the responsibility of telling the story for fans, and how he balanced candidness with sensitivity.

We hear about interviewing Paul Weller during pivotal moments in the ’90s and 2000s, and discuss album sequencing, adversity, and his restless creativity.

John’s reflections move through Weller’s post-Jam doubts, The Style Council’s misunderstood experiments, the energy of “comeback” records like As Is Now and 22 Dreams, and a decades-long relationship balancing proximity, critique, and admiration. John also shares personal memories: a surreal night with Weller and Ocean Colour Scene, phone calls from “Paul Weller, ya c—t,” and thoughts on what would make the ultimate Weller companion release.

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Key Themes from the Conversation

• From Mod Kid to Journalist: How John’s mod roots and teenage years as a Jam obsessive shaped his critical approach.
• Band Dynamics and Breakups: Honest thoughts on Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler, the structure of The Jam, and the courage behind leaving.
• Chronicling the Story: The challenges and rewards of writing My Ever Changing Moods, interviewing Paul, and working on sleeve notes and features throughout Weller’s many phases.
• Weller’s Evolution: Admiration for Weller’s ability to embrace change, push boundaries, and repeatedly defy expectations – through The Style Council, solo innovations, and into the present.
• Critique, Connection, and Memory: Navigating the tension between subjectivity and objectivity, being “in the orbit” of the artist, and why artists remember that one piece of negative feedback.
• The Lifelong Collector: Thoughts on reissues, rarities, collaborations, and the dream of a full Paul Weller “companion” to capture every corner of his creative life.

Dancing Through the Fire

John Reed is one of over 250 contributors to my Sunday Times Bestselling book, Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire, which is available now in hardback, paperback, audiobook and ebook.
Click on the image below to grab your copy…