When Paul Weller comes to the Olympia, he will bring with him a staggering musical CV. Whether it's the tight angular punk sound he forged with The Jam, to the smooth soul sounds of The Style Council or the rustic charm of his solo career, Weller has shown himself to be an artist who possesses astonishing powers of reinvention.

Paul Weller began his musical career fronting The Jam, a band who started the mod-revival of the late '70's and produced such great albums as Sound Affects and Setting Sons. In the early '80's he formed The Style Council to further mine his fascination with soul and jazz music.

In 1989 Paul Weller broke up The Style Council after his record company refused to release the band's fifth album. Subsequently Weller lost his record contract and his publishing deal. No one wanted to sign Weller at the time and his musical career was in the doldrums.

After a two-year hiatus, Weller took up his guitar and started the Paul Weller Movement. He toured extensively around the UK playing songs that encompassed the whole of his career. In 1991, he released the single "Into Tomorrow" on his own label Freedom High Records.

The single was well received and Weller began recording his debut album with producer Brendan Lynch. The album Paul Weller would be his first tentative step back to success. The album featured songs such as the stomping "Uh Huh Oh Yeh" and the soul tinged "Above the Clouds".

Weller's next album Wild Wood was to be his breakthrough album. The album was recorded with Ocean Colour Scene guitarist, Steve Craddock and featured the laidback beauty of "Wildwood" and the '60s psychedelic feel of "Sunflower". Wildwood was influenced by the rootsy rock of early '70s group such as Traffic and Humble Pie fronted by one of Weller's heroes, Steve Mariott.

Paul Weller released the album on the cusp of the Britpop phenomenon and the album perfectly suited Britain's new musical scene. Weller's profile was rising and bands such as Ocean Colour Scene, Blur and Oasis were name checking him as an influential musician. 

Weller followed Wildwood with 1995's Stanley Road, which would go on to sell a million records in the UK. Weller has since recorded the albums Heavy Soul and Heliocentric. In 2002, he released the album Illumination and anyone who thinks Paul Weller's musical talents are on the wane should check out the wonderful "Who Brings Joy".

After recording an album of covers, Studio 150, Weller returned to the studio with the classic Wildwood line-up to record an album of soulful rockers like "Blink and You'll Miss It", "Paper Smile" and "From The Floorboards Up".  As Is Now was released in 2005 and the modfather will be showcasing his new songs live at his performance at Oxegen.  

Not to be missed, Paul Weller plays Oxegen on Sunday, the 9^th of July.

Dublinks Oxegen Preview
Saturday Listings
Sunday Listings

Paul Weller
Oxegen 2006

Buy Tickets

Tickets: €160 for a weekend ticket with camping
              €130 for a weekend ticket without camping
              €69.50 for a day tickets

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.ie

Oxegen
Punchestown Racecourse,
Kildare.
Tel: + 353 (0) 818 719 300