The band showed a diversity of musical styles. Singles "Speak Like a Child" (with its loud soul-influenced style), the extended funk of "Money-Go-Round", and the haunting synth-ballad "Long Hot Summer" all featured Talbot on keyboards and organ. Near the end of 1983, these songs were compiled on Introducing The Style Council, a mini-album initially released in Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States only. The Dutch version was heavily imported to the United Kingdom.
In 1984, the single "My Ever-Changing Moods", backed with the Hammond organ instrumental "Mick's Company", reached #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The song remains Weller's greatest success on the American charts (including his efforts in The Jam and as a solo artist), while the group reached the peak of its success in the United Kingdom with the 1985 album Our Favourite Shop.
To Weller's fans, the decision to split up The Jam at the height of their commercial success was met with considerable controversy[citation needed]. Weller deliberately distanced himself from The Jam's sound and style, with his use of new musical arrangements and instruments in a much slicker, more heavily produced style. In the place of the Bruce Foxton-Rick Buckler rhythm section were drum and bass parts done entirely on synthesisers.
Structurally, many of the band's early singles were not far removed from The Jam's latter-day soul-pop efforts such as "Town Called Malice" and "Beat Surrender", but they were often criticised as overproduced, despite Weller's impressive songwriting[citation needed]. Also, many observers saw even the early albums as indulgent and overly experimental; Trouser Press called Café Bleu "too schizophrenic to be a good album".
The Style Council took a more overtly political approach than The Jam in their lyrics, with tracks such as "Walls Come Tumbling Down", "The Lodgers", and "Come To Milton Keynes" being deliberate attacks on 'middle England' and Thatcherite principles prevalent in the Eighties. Weller was also instrumental in the formation of Red Wedge with Billy Bragg. However, he later said that this began to detract from the music: "We were involved with a lot of political things going on at that time. I think after a while that overshadowed the music a bit"
In 1986, the band released a live album, Home and Abroad, and, in 1987, the album The Cost of Loving was launched, followed later in the year by the upbeat non-album single "Wanted", which reached #20 in the United Kingdom. However, Confessions of a Pop Group, released a year later, sold poorly. This led to their record label Polydor rejecting their final album (Modernism: A New Decade), which was heavily influenced by the contemporary house scene. A greatest hits album, appropriately called The Singular Adventures of The Style Council, was released internationally in 1989; it included the non-album single "Promised Land", which had reached #27 in the United Kingdom earlier that year.
In 1989 members of The Style Council went under the name of King Truman to release a single on Acid Jazz titled "Like A Gun". This was unbeknown to Polydor and the single was pulled from the shops only 3 days prior to release. Acid Jazz founder Eddie Piller said "The pair offered to make a single for my new label, which I'd just started with Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson as a side project. Mick and Paul took pseudonyms Truman King and Elliott Arnold." [1]
The Style Council broke up in 1989. The cover of "Promised Land" (originally by Joe Smooth) was the only release which surfaced from the Modernism sessions at the time; however, the entire album was released in 1998, both independently and in a 5-CD box set, The Complete Adventures Of The Style Council. After the split, Weller embarked on a successful solo career (still featuring Steve White on drums, who had left The Style Council by the time Confessions of a Pop Group was released, having only played on a few of its tracks). Talbot and White released two albums as Talbot/White — United States of Mind (1995) and Off The Beaten Track (1996). More recently, Mick Talbot and Steve White have formed The Players with Damon Minchella and Aziz Ibrahim.
All of The Style Council's UK releases (including singles, 12" maxis, albums, compact discs and re-issues thereof) featured the work of graphic designer Simon Halfon, who often collaborated with Weller to hone his ideas into a graphic form. Weller and Halfon began working together at the end of The Jam's career, and continue to work together to this day on Weller's solo material.
Since 2007, the song "Walls Come Tumbling Down" has been used as the theme song for the German TV series Dr. Psycho – Die Bösen, die Bullen, meine Frau und ich.
Party Chambers
The Style Council Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Laughter, records loud
I guess my guests are alright
They won't miss me for awhile
'Cause I need to be alone
Let me sink in sadness
'Cause I can't forget her
Try as I might, I spend all my time
Thinking 'bout her
And I walk to the water's edge of the
Lake and I gaze at my reflection
And for a moment I think I see her
But the wind blows her away
(And meanwhile)
Back in the party chambers
Restless guests, they get
And so I entertain them
But it's not myself
I can't wait until they go
Let me sink in sadness
'Cause I can't forget her
She was on my mind and
Try as I might I spend all my time
Thinking 'bout her
The Style Council's song Party Chambers is a poignant representation of heartbreak and loneliness. The opening verse sets the scene of a party, with the sounds of laughter and loud music in the background. However, the singer of the song, the singer, cannot fully engage with his guests, as he is consumed by thoughts of his lost love. He craves solitude and retreats to the water's edge to find solace. However, even there, his mind is focused on his lost love, and he is left feeling empty and alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in the party chambers
Returning to the room filled with celebratory mood
Laughter, records loud
Sounds of merriment and musical beats filling the environment
I guess my guests are alright
My friends present here appear to be comfortable and happy
They won't miss me for awhile
They won't notice my absence for a short period of time
'Cause I need to be alone
I desire some solitary time
Let me sink in sadness
Allow me to drown in sadness
'Cause I can't forget her
I am unable to erase her memories
She was on my mind and
Her thoughts constantly occupied my mind
Try as I might, I spend all my time
Despite my efforts, my time is spent thinking about her
Thinking 'bout her
Reflecting on her
And I walk to the water's edge of the
I head towards the bank of the lake
Lake and I gaze at my reflection
And look at my reflection in the still water
And for a moment I think I see her
For a fleeting moment, I believe I witness her presence
But the wind blows her away
Yet the blowing wind makes the illusion disappear
(And meanwhile)
(While all that happens)
Back in the party chambers
Once again in the room filled with celebratory mood
Restless guests, they get
Bored and restless guests become unsettled
And so I entertain them
And thus, I keep them engaged and occupied
But it's not myself
But I don't feel happy myself
I can't wait until they go
I eagerly await their leave
Let me sink in sadness
Let my sadness engulf me
'Cause I can't forget her
As I am unable to forget about her
She was on my mind and
Her memories still linger in my mind
Try as I might I spend all my time
Despite my attempts, I am still occupied with her thoughts
Thinking 'bout her
Reflecting on her
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Murphy
This is a superb song, could easily have been the A, side and Mick Talbot's keyboards are quite spectacular, Weller always gave full value with his great B, sides.
newsupercouncillor
Probably the best b-side ever made
ben manningauthor
one of my fave post jam weller songs. superb!
MGBetts1
Mick Talbot was crucial to this - very gifted player.
Ben Manning
the greatest jam song that never was...
Kevin Fitzsimons
@Paul Baker seriously? Even though the predominant instrument is Mick Talbots synthesiser ? Plus it’s impossible to hear this song without envisaging Mick Talbot trying to look cool.. and failing spectacularly? Lol
Tim Arnold
Funny that, I can never remember if it was a Council or a Jam B side. Though I KNOW it was a TSC tune?? Brilliant anyway!
Mark Laviolette
For sure!
Tel Sutton
Yep. Always thought it sounded like it belonged on Beat Surrender E.P.
rooit
ace b side,just like most of the jam single b sides,great keyboard solo,not missing the rickenbacker lead solo on this,new sound 4 them then.perfect.