Excerpt: In Echoed Steps: The Jam and a Vision of Albion
The first Riot Stories publication to host Weller’s poetry would be the first issue of December’s Child. Weller had already utilised the back pages of the songbook for All Mod Cons to host some of his poetry, and with the burgeoning market for poetry fanzines in an ascendancy, he’d already contributed a few poems to several publications. While adept in imbuing his songs with his poetic words, it was clear that a lot of his verse would benefit from a far wider canvas.
Simon Wells on the literary influences of Paul Weller and The Jam.
The Oddity
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I could see the red glow of the stones. It was hotter than the actual Hades is alleged to be. Uncle straddled a water bucket as he sat, and then he splashed water on the stones four times — once for each of the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) creating some fierce and angry steam. It was unquestionably hotter than I was used to from European saunas. When the hiss of the steam subsided, I wasn’t sure, but I thought I could hear the rocks humming. Is that possible?
Chapter 20 of EJ Spode‘s The Oddity.