Inside the Big Issue: Paul Weller and Johnny Harris deliver state of the nation address

Paul Weller, or the idea of Paul Weller, has been a dominant thread in popular British culture for almost 50 years. He has just turned 66 and has been the Modfather longer than many of his fans have been alive. Through it all he signalled that the elements many people want him to remain locked into – hits of The Jam, a feather cut and Fred Perry top, music that is tied in the past – are not for him. Forward, never looking back; ever changing moods for the changing man.

Johnny Harris is one of Britain’s best character actors. Harris and Weller first worked together almost eight years ago on Jawbone, the dark but redemptive movie written by Harris about a former boxing champion who is trying to lift himself back from alcoholism, homelessness and hopelessness. The film, which echoes Harris’s own story, saw Weller write his first soundtrack. The pair have been friends ever since. 

This year, Harris has created the video for Weller’s forthcoming single “I Woke Up”. Shot in black and white, it details a day in the life of a homeless man in London, told simply and without hyperbole, but ending with a call to help St Mungo’s, the charity primarily focused on getting rough sleepers into a bed.

In this week’s issue of the Big Issue, Paul Weller and Johnny Harris reflects on the state of the nation, the ageing process and spirituality.

What else is in this week’s Big Issue?

Alan Rickman’s advice for his godson Tom Burke helped the Strike and Furiosa star figure out what really matters

Tom Burke was quickly bitten by the acting bug, but godfather Alan Rickman helped him keep his feet on the ground.

“It was a lesson in getting on with it and being grateful for the work, whatever it was, knowing you’re blessed to be getting paid to do something you love,” he says.

Our Blueprint for Change calls on the next government to pledge to end poverty

Talk about an impact. Just over a fortnight after we published our Blueprint for Change – our call on ALL political leaders to commit to ending poverty for good – prime minister Rishi Sunak announced a snap summer general election. You’re welcome.

It’s worth reiterating what the Big Issue Group Blueprint is all about. Read about it in this week’s issue.

Photographer Asmaa Waguih’s images tell the story of the ‘forgotten war’ in Yemen

The conflict in Yemen is often called ‘the forgotten war’. Egyptian photographer Asmaa Waguih asks why this might be and explains her determination to tell the stories that would otherwise be lost. “The goal was to share the human experiences,” she tells us.