Tom Sheehan - AIM HIGH: Paul Weller in Photographs 1978 - 2015

In this episode, legendary photographer Tom
Sheehan shares a personal narrative that spans the arc
of Paul Weller’s career, from The Jam’s charged early days right
through to Weller’s solo renaissance - we take a journey through
images found in his acclaimed book AIM HIGH: Paul Weller
in Photographs 1978–2015.


Tom’s first encounter with Weller was as a CBS staff photographer
at that infamous 1977 Rainbow punk show - dodging flying chairs
and learning fast about the wild energy of the era. When he began
working for the music press, Tom soon found himself taking early
studio shots of The Jam, capturing not just their look but their
camaraderie and focused ambition in the late '70s.


Over the next 40 years, Tom chronicled every chapter: documenting
The Jam at work and play, venturing outside the studio for cold
winter photo-walks through St John’s Wood, and producing iconic
images as The Style Council embraced political activism and
continental flair.


He shares the stories and context behind many pivotal images -
studio shoots, backstage candids, on-the-road moments (and even
festival shorts with blazers!).


He discusses the sometimes delicate relationship between band and
lens, Paul Weller’s remarkable ease in front of the camera (“he’s
just a great sitter”), and why authenticity and mutual respect
were always at the core of their working dynamic. He reflects on
private shoots at Black Barn and in West London record shops, his
preference for quick, no-messing sessions, and the art of
capturing both style and vulnerability in Weller as he moved
between bands, eras, and personal highs and lows.


Tom also describes the spirit of working-class kinship and shared
mod obsessions that shaped their rapport - why Weller’s
forthrightness and his own direct approach gelled so naturally.
Along the way, Tom talks about Weller’s enduring love of vinyl,
the visual codes of musicianship and subculture, and the
responsibility of creating a photographic legacy. The episode
closes with thoughts on AIM HIGH, the book’s creation, and why
Weller’s approval and foreword meant so much.


Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at
PaulWellerFanPodcast.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.