I’ve waxed lyrical about my love of the music promo video before and the hunt to complete the Weller Solo Director List continues here, but what about The Jam?
How do the music promo videos sit with their musical legacy? Which songs did and didn’t have videos? and for those that did, who directed the band and / or these short films?
To kick off, let’s dig in to a couple of the collected works – starting with 2002’s double DVD set “The Complete Jam on Film” – a set that featured live performances from So It Goes, Marc, Revolver, The Old Grey Whistle Test, Something Else, Måndagsbörsen, Popkrant and The Tube along with a mix of mini-docs and what was simply labelled as The Singles – covering most of the back catalogue with inclusions for non-single Art School and Butterfly Collector but missing off big hitters like ‘All Around The World, The Modern World, David Watts, ‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street, Tube Station, The Eton Rifles and the final swansong – Beat Surrender.
Not that complete then? Or did these tracks not have promo videos? Was there not enough room on the DVDs to fit them on? I need answers people!
The picture isn’t really any clearer come 2006 with the DVD release of Hit Parade – 7 and a half hours of content across two DVDs covered The Jam, The Style Council and Weller Solo.
Top of the Pops videos covered off a lot of The Jam stuff in this collection so we’re not really any the wiser here either.
So how about we join up with The Jam Army – to try and clear up the journey for The Jam and the music promo videos once and for all ?
What do you remember? What have you seen? What memories are brought flooding back when you watch again or think about seeing those special films for the first time?
Drop a reply into the end of this feature with your memories and what you know about the gaps and together we can complete the story on this page!
And I’ll also work on getting as many of these people as possible on The Paul Weller Fan Podcast too!
The Jam – The Confirmed Music Promo Directors
Steve Barron – Strange Town, When You’re Young, Going Underground, Dreams of Children.
Mike Brady – Absolute Beginners, Town called Malice, Precious.
Lindsey Clennell – The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow).
The Jam – The Music Promos – WIP List
In The City – 1977 – https://youtu.be/ycnWuHsly0A – Director Unknown
All Around the World – 1977 – Unknown Status
The Modern World – 1977 – Unknown Status
News of the World – 1978 – Unknown Status
David Watts – 1978 – Unknown Status
‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street – 1978 – Unknown Status
Down in the Tube Station at Midnight – 1978 – Top of the Pops ?? https://youtu.be/hf4EFDGP4yg
Strange Town – Steve Barron – 1979 – https://youtu.be/QwP__XXyh0I
When You’re Young – Steve Barron – 1979 – https://youtu.be/GO-3oXkZwPg
The Eton Rifles – No Music Promo Video
Going Underground – Steve Barron – 1980 – https://youtu.be/AE1ct5yEuVY
Dreams of Children – Steve Barron – 1980 – https://youtu.be/sK2UahaiKKU
Start! – 1980 – https://youtu.be/vI8AOkbfgNE – Director Unknown
That’s Entertainment – 1981 – https://youtu.be/m-H0uIH5HHQ Director Unknown
Funeral Pyre – 1981 – https://youtu.be/EndqhHJx-Ko Director Unknown
Absolute Beginners – 1981 – Mike Brady – https://youtu.be/v9glU6WzsdM
Town Called Malice – 1982 – Mike Brady – https://youtu.be/YfpRm-p7qlY
Precious – 1982 – Mike Brady – https://youtu.be/T0mDmabbR1E
Just Who Is The Five O’Clock Hero? – 1982 – Unknown Status
The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow) – 1982 – Lindsey Clennell – https://youtu.be/Aw7kvqk-v4s
Beat Surrender – 1982