A town called malice - The Jam

Paul Weller was always at his best when he was angry, and he was the most angry while he was part of his band The Jam. Furious drums and wild guitars always made for interesting hit singles.

'A town called malice' is a great example of their sound. It was released in January 1982 as the first single from their album 'The gift'. It ended up a number one hit single in the UK, while also peaking at number 7 in the Dutch Top 40 (their first and last top 10 hit in the Netherlands). Weller commented that the song was about his teenage experiences in the English city of Woking.

My collection: 7" single no. 4988
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 15, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'A town called malice' / 'Precious'

Going underground - The Jam

With a basic knowledge of English as a child, I thought this song was about taking the subway in London. In reality, of course, the lyric is an indictment of the British policy on arms, referencing the government of the UK's commitment to nuclear weapons, implying a level of acceptance on the part of the general population.

The Jam had three instant number one hits in the UK in 1980, of which this was the first. The band consisted of Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler and broke up in 1982.

My collection: 7" single no. 48

Found: Rapsody, Den Haag, 1980

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Going underground' / 'The dreams of children'