Named after the legend painted on Paul Weller’s amp, ‘Fire And Skill’ is a superb six disc boxed set – featuring six previously unreleased concerts, one from each year of The Jam’s major-label career.
Starting with an incendiary early gig at London’s famous 100 Club from 1977, the show featured took place 10 months after they first played the venue in November 1976, and was recorded for broadcast on American radio ahead of the trio’s inaugural visit to US in October 1977 for a six-date tour.
A Music Machine show from 1978, featuring most of the 2nd album – ‘This Is The Modern World’. The show was The Jam’s sixth live show of the year and one of four low-key shows in the capital to fanfare their new ‘News Of The World’ single under the banner ‘The London Blitz’.
Reading University, February 1979 - playing material from their breakthrough album ‘All Mod Cons’, was The Jam’s first live appearance of 1979, and found the band in a radically different place to their showcase at the Music Machine 12 months before. In that time, their third album, ‘All Mod Cons’, had been released to critical acclaim, and their status as one of the New Wave’s most musically substantial and exciting bands had been secured. And Weller was still only 20 years old...
Newcastle City Hall – October 1980, previewing songs from forthcoming album ‘Sound Affects’. In the time between The Jam’s show at Reading University on Disc 3 and their appearance at Newcastle City Hall 20 months later, there had been more extraordinary developments in the group’s world. ‘Setting Sons’, their fourth album, had given them a Top 3 hit with ‘The Eton Rifles’, which was followed in February 1980 with the stirring Number 1 single, ‘Going Underground’.
After three years on Polydor, The Jam had finally become the biggest group in the UK. London’s legendary Hammersmith Palais – December 1981, part of The Jam’s four consecutive nights, previewing material from the forthcoming final album ‘The Gift’. The shows taking the innovative form of a ‘60s soul revue, showcasing new acts including Bananarama, Department S and TV21.
One of the band’s final ever gigs at Wembley Arena - 1982. Late in 1982 The Jam announced they were splitting up - there would, though, be a final chance for fans to experience The Jam’s astonishing live shows, with a 14-date ‘farewell’ tour announced for late November and December.
The centrepiece was a five-night stand at Wembley Arena, the 10,000-capacity shed next to the London football stadium (the recording here is from the second date), the biggest live venue in the capital.
Packaged in mini, lift-off lid box this set includes a separate hard-back book and individual gatefold wallets for the discs, as well as new essay, period photos and rare memorabilia. All audio has been remastered at Abbey Road.
Disc One
Live at the 100 Club – 11th September 1977
1. I’ve Changed My Address
2. Carnaby Street
3. The Modern World
4. Time For Truth
5. So Sad About Us
6. London Girl
7. In The Street Today
8. Standards
9. All Around The World
10. London Traffic
11. Heat Wave
12. Sweet Soul Music
13. Bricks And Mortar
14. In The City
15. Art School
16. Back In My Arms Again
17. Slow Down
18. In The Midnight Hour
19. Sounds From The Street
20. Takin’ My Love
21. In The City (encore)
Disc Two
Live at the Music Machine 2nd March 1978
1. The Modern World
2. London Traffic
3. I Need You
4. The Combine
5. Aunties And Uncles
6. Standards
7. Here Comes The Weekend
8. Sounds From The Street
9. News Of The World
10. London Girl
11. In The Street Today
12. Bricks And Mortar
13. In The Midnight Hour
14. Carnaby Street
15. All Around The World
16. Slow Down
17. News Of The World (Sound-check – bonus track)
Disc Three
Live at Reading University – 16th February 1979
1. The Modern World
2. Sounds From The Street
3. Away From The Numbers
4. All Mod Cons To Be Someone
5. It’s Too Bad
6. Mr Clean
7. Billy Hunt
8. In The Street Today
9. Standards
10. Tonight At Noon
11. Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
12. News Of The World
13. Here Comes The Weekend
14. Bricks And Mortar / Batman
15. The Place I Love
16. David Watts
17. Heat Wave
18. ‘A’ Bomb In Wardour Street
Disc Four
Live at Newcastle City Hall – 28th October 1980
1. Intro
2. Dreamtime
3. Thick As Thieves
4. Boy about Town
5. Monday
6. Going Underground
7. Pretty Green
8. Man In The Corner Shop
9. Set The House Ablaze
10. Private Hell
11. Liza Radley
12. Dreams Of Children
13. The Modern World
14. Little Boy Soldiers
15. But I’m Different Now
16. Start!
17. Scrape Away
18. Strange Town
19. When You’re Young
20. The Eton Rifles
21. Billy Hunt
22. Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
23. To Be Someone
24. ‘A’ Bomb In Wardour Street
25. David Watts
Disc Five
Live at Hammersmith Palais – 14th December 1981
1. The Gift / Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
2. Man In The Corner Shop
3. Ghosts
4. Absolute Beginners
5. Town Called Malice
6. Set The House Ablaze
7. That’s Entertainment / Tales From The River Bank
8. Precious
9. Happy Together
10. In The Crowd / David Watts
11. Boy About Town
12. Pretty Green
13. Funeral Pyre
14. Circus
15. Going Underground
16. Big Bird
17. Little Boy Soldiers
Disc Six
Live at Wembley Arena – 2nd December 1982
1. Start!
2. It’s Too Bad
3. Beat Surrender
4. Away From The Numbers
5. Ghosts
6. In The Crowd
7. Boy About Town
8. Get Yourself Together
9. All Mod Cons
10. To Be Someone
11. Smithers-Jones
12. The Great Depression
13. Precious
14. Move On Up
15. When You’re Young
16. David Watts
17. Private Hell
18. Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
19. Mr Clean
20. Trans-Global Express
21. Going Underground
22. The Butterfly Collector
23. Dreams Of Children
24. The Gift
