The Jam is a band I've always heard of, but never actually heard. As I've gradually sunk deeper into the world of music and its history, I've come across a lot of bands/artists and albums that I am unfamiliar with. I recall being in the Times Square Virgin Megastore about two years ago, racking my brain for what I should purchase. The Jam came to mind and I stumbled upon an essentials collection. I ended up passing on it in favor of Waterloo to Anywhere by Dirty Pretty Things and a 2-CD best of set from The Kinks.
It wasn't until a number of weeks ago that I decided to check into The Jam. I was always under the impression that they were pretty much a straight up rock 'n' roll band with some of that punk attitude. I was aware that they were a part of the mod movement back in the late '70s/early '80s, but aside from that I didn't know too much about them. For me, any group -- especially a trio -- from London that consists of guitar, bass, and drums and plays with distortion has to have a bit of that rock 'n' roll soul. I'm also a bit of an anglophile and believe that most groups that originated out of London from that time are probably worth a listen. The roots of rock might have been in the blues of the American south, but I believe that rock as we have come to know it is a product of the British Invasion of the '60s.
What suddenly increased my interest in a band I had overlooked for so long? Curtis Mayfield. I wasn't too far off with my assumption as to the sound of The Jam, but I had no idea they would tackle classic rhythm and blues songs (e.g. James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and The Chi-Lites' "Stoned Out of My Mind"). Now, generally, any time I've heard a rock band -- from any of rock's subgenres -- try to cover a classic rhythm and blues/soul song, it usually doesn't end well, especially as they aren't exactly the kind of songs you can improve upon. Well, The Jam are an exception to the rule. One of my favorite blogs, Aquarium Drunkard, posted a live video of the band's take on the classic Curtis Mayfield track "Move On Up." So good. It's refreshing -- not that it needed to be -- and so killer. Check it out.
The Jam - "Move On Up"
Last week, I picked up some Jam finally. It was a used collection of B-sides and rarities entitled Extras. Honestly, I had no idea what the songs would sound like and purchased it entirely on the fact that included on the disc was a studio version of this Mayfield cover. The cover alone, for me, was worth the $7.99 I paid.
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