What drives the seemingly
indefatigable Paul Weller? His biographer spoke to those in the know to find out
by: Dan Jennings
12 Oct 2025
Image: Kevin Barrett / Alamy
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Paul Weller’s career is a rare phenomenon in British music. Six decades in, he’s still making records that matter, still selling out tours, still chasing the next thing. What makes Weller endure? After five years interviewing more than 250 people for my book Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire – The Authorised Oral History, I think I’ve found some answers.
‘I’m not a fucking heritage act’
Weller’s refusal to look back is legendary. “There was a thing a few years ago where they were talking about heritage acts. I am not fucking going down that road, mate! You have to stick with your vision of what you think it should be and then hope for the best.”
He split The Jam at their peak, walked away from The Style Council when the world wasn’t ready for his house music experiments, and has never been afraid to leave success behind if it means moving forward.
This isn’t just bravado. It’s a philosophy. As journalist Dylan Jones observes: “One of the things that Paul certainly has is a very good radar, not just for external bullshit, but also to temper his inclination to wander off in particular directions or pursue particular directions. He’s a very harsh critic of his own work and motivations.”
Paul Weller’s roots are working-class Woking. His dad hustled for every penny, his mum worked multiple jobs.
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“With the working class of my youth, there was a very strong work ethic. Everyone’s got to work. You’ve got to pay your way. You’ve got to make money. Being on the dole was a bit frowned upon. There was a pride value as well in that, that you worked and did your best.”
This ethic runs through everything he does. Booking agent Martin Hopewell tells me, “Paul didn’t want to piss about – you clock in, do your time and clock out late. Work, work, work.’
The Jam playing Reading Top Rank in 1977. Image: Ian Dickson / Shutterstock
Still got fire
It’s not just about graft. Weller is still driven, still hungry. Even after more than 50 years of playing live, and now just a few years off his 70th, he still gets nervous before gigs.
He says, “From the time I wake up – there’s the anxiety and the nerves and adrenaline and all that stuff. It’s not as bad as it used to be, but it’s still pretty bad. The hour or so before I go on stage is normally pretty bad. Thinking about all the things that could go wrong, which they can’t really. But I’ve always been like that.” His bandmates see it too. Musician Steve Cradock said on joining the band in the early 90s, “He had a point to prove but I don’t think that was the number-one driving thing. He just wanted to be great. He wanted the songs to come over, he wanted to connect with people, with the crowd, and he wanted to be fucking bang on.”
That drive is relentless. As broadcaster and journalist John Wilson observes, “Paul will say you really are only as good as your last work. That’s what’s driven him on in the last few years.”
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Weller’s collaborators consistently describe his restlessness and refusal to coast. As Richard Hawley puts it: “Paul is like a sponge. He listens to everything and soaks it up. There’s two ways to go about keeping your individuality, I think. Weller’s way is a bit like Dylan where everything is fair game, I don’t mean in terms of him stealing ideas, but Paul is a genuine music lover, and he just reminds me of an old scientist or an old adventurer in Boy’s Own books or something, like Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Jules Verne. He’s not fakery in any way, shape or form. He’s genuinely interested in the next move, the next thing, the things that are happening now, and his enthusiasm for it is just unwavering.”
Noel Gallagher sees it too. “Paul is still one fucking billion per cent into the craft and I am too… we’ve got a fucking lot in common, which is, I guess, why we’ve been friends such a long time.”
In his own words, Weller makes it clear that he’s never satisfied with standing still.
“Because one record is successful, ‘Let’s do it again.’ I’m not into that. I don’t think it’s destructive. I just think I’m not going to go down that road. I’m not going to get into this thing where you keep making the same fucking record over and over.”
Graham Coxon of Blur sums up the secret: “He’s always got his antenna up. Always looking for new stuff, wants to know what’s going on, and that’s why he’s still relevant.”
Why mod is the heart of it all
At the core of Weller’s endurance is mod – not just as a style, but as a mindset. Mod is about reinvention, about always moving forward, about refusing to settle. Weller embodies that spirit more than anyone. As he tells me: “You have to count your blessings. I think it’s important to recognise what you’ve done and your achievements, but don’t dwell too much on it and be grateful. Be humble as well. Not just in music, but in life, I think it’s important to learn that.”
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That’s why Paul Weller endures. He’s not just a survivor – he’s a pioneer. And as long as he keeps searching, keeps changing, keeps living mod, we will keep listening.
