Fans
travelled from as far as Scotland to the HG Wells Conference & Events
Centre in Woking on Saturday November 9, for a real evening of firsts as
Brookes recounted tales of the legendary band’s formation in the town.
He spoke
fondly of the first gigs they played and the support they had from the late
John Weller, father of the Modfather. And as Brookes stood on stage, reading
excerpts from his book Keeping the Flame, the audience was taken on a truly
nostalgic ride of Woking’s most famous musical tales.
Brookes,
who himself supported Weller at a Woking Hospice gig in 2010, told his memories
as a true storyteller, with delight and sadness at times too, mixed in with
some beautifully sung versions of unheard songs and stories of white bomber
jackets and white shoes.
From
getting his first six-string acoustic guitar along with a Bert Weedon songbook,
to meeting Weller as pupils at Sheerwater Comprehensive School and practising
their tunes in Paul’s bedroom at his Stanley Road home, it was a memorable
evening to be part of.
Brookes
was backed by a screen filled with memorabilia - scribbled songs written in
lined exercise books, the band’s first business card (The Jam (Rock & Roll
Group) Dances, Parties etc. Tel Woking 64717) and a newspaper cutting showing
them meeting the deputy governor of HMP Coldingley in Bisley, where they played
a Sunday afternoon cabaret gig alongside two drag artists and a country and
western singer.
Speaking
to the crowd, which included Weller’s mother Ann and sister Nicky, Brookes
said: “Paul said he had an electric guitar and an amp and I was itching to have
a go. Soon after this Paul invited me for tea. “In his bedroom at Stanley Road
there was a bed, a wardrobe, which contained his electric guitar and amp, a
record player and a chest of drawers full of records. “It was when I first met
Ann, John and Nicky Weller. They made me very welcome and I felt the warmth of
their house and John gave me a lift home to Byfleet. “I felt a welcome part of
the new family I had met.”
Brookes
spoke of the guitar lessons he and Weller had thanks to Ricky Smith, who worked
at Maxwell’s Music Shop in Woking. And he even told the tale of their first
live gig being in a music room at Sheerwater School in the early summer of
1972, before a mostly female audience. “To say that we were nervous was a bit
of an understatement,” Brookes recalled.
There
was even the chance to hear recordings of a young Weller singing his versions
of tunes including Elvis Presley’s Blue Suede Shoes and Neil Sedaka’s Oh!
Carol.
Whispered
rumours that the Modfather was in the venue were confirmed when a cardigan-clad
Weller walked out from behind display boards at the side of the stage and
grabbed his guitar, ready to play four duets with his friend and former
bandmate.
The
audience was a little in shock, but also in absolute delight to see the pair
come together and jam so close to the iconic Stanley Road.
The
four-song set started with Buddy Holly’s Well All Right, then the crowds sung
along to How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) by Marvin Gaye, Things We Said
Today by The Beatles and Bye Bye Love, by The Everly Brothers.
A couple
of days afterwards, Brookes said: “It was great to enjoy a nostalgic night of
memories from a very special time in my life, it meant a lot to have the Weller
family there and of course to do the old duo thing with Paul.
“I hope
it filled in a few gaps for people who wanted to know about the early days of
The Jam from someone who was actually there.
"I
really appreciated the fantastic support from a relatively small crowd who dug
deep to give us a great result for Woking Hospice.”
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