The Style Council

The Style Council formed in London in 1983, Paul Weller and Mick Talbot developing a sound that was deliberately and provocatively unlike The Jam — drawing on blue-eyed soul, jazz, and European pop in ways that were immediately sophisticated and politically engaged. Weller's songwriting remained as sharp as ever, and the band's music combined melodic directness with a lyrical depth and political commitment that gave them a distinctive identity.

'Café Bleu' (1984) was their debut — a sophisticated, jazz-influenced record of genuine beauty that produced 'My Ever Changing Moods' and 'You're the Best Thing'. 'Our Favourite Shop' (1985) was their masterpiece — a politically engaged, melodically rich record that reached number one in the UK and produced 'Walls Come Tumbling Down' and 'Come to Milton Keynes'.

The Style Council dissolved in 1989 following the commercial failure of 'Modernism: A New Decade'. They are remembered as one of the most important and distinctive acts of the mid-1980s British music scene — a duo whose combination of sophisticated musicality, political engagement, and Weller's extraordinary songwriting produced music of lasting importance.