Paul Dowling, Director of Marketing, Go! Discs (1990-1993)

In this episode, Paul Dowling – director of marketing at Go! Discs in the early ‘90s – tells the story of how he helped Paul Weller find a new home and a fresh start after The Style Council’s Modernism album was rejected by Polydor.

A teenage Jam fan who witnessed the band’s energy first-hand, Paul started work in an indie record shop job before moving in marketing within the record industry and then landing at Go! Discs just as the label was building on it’s reputation for artist-friendly culture and creative risk-taking.

Paul takes us inside the DIY campaign for ‘Into Tomorrow’ – Weller’s first solo single – explaining how a tight team of trusted industry figures and Weller’s own clear vision turned an independent release into a Top 40 hit, and led directly to a new label deal in the UK.

He describes hearing those early demos, smoking spliffs with Andy McDonald, and realising just how wild, raw, and ready Weller was for his comeback. Drawing on his unique perspective, Paul reflects on the label’s role in supporting Weller’s creative freedom, the transition through Wild Wood and toward Britpop’s peak, and the sheer thrill – and surprise – of working with an artist who had provided the “soundtrack of my life.”

He offers candid observations on Go! Discs’ staff, its culture of collaboration and love of music, and the shared social and political energy that ran through both the label and the acts it signed. Paul also describes the magic of that era: small teams, big nights out, and a sense that, somehow, the stars had aligned for Weller’s reinvention.

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From Fan to Team Member: Paul’s journey from Jam gigs and record shops to collaborating directly with Weller on a career relaunch.

The Indie Spirit: How Go! Discs’ nimble, inclusive company culture gave artists – and their teams – freedom and voice.

DIY Comeback: Building a homegrown single campaign with industry friends and fighting to get an “unfashionable,” independent Weller back on radio and TV.

Creative Rebirth: The leap from the Paul Weller album to Wild Wood and the foundation it helped lay for Britpop.

Artist-Centric Leadership: Andy McDonald’s unique management style, described as supportive, open-minded, and genuinely passionate about music.

Personal Connection: The surreal joy of helping a childhood hero reclaim his place – and the moments when professional admiration and fan excitement briefly collide.

Legacy of Go! Discs: Why that label, and that era, still stand out in an often-cynical industry.

Dancing Through the Fire

Paul Dowling is one of over 250 contributors to my Sunday Times Bestselling book, Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire, which is available now.
Click on the image below to grab your copy…