Magic: A Journal of Song

Product Information

Magic: A Journal of Song is the definitive book of Weller's songwriting career from founding The Jam in his teenage years, to creating The Style Council, through to his years as a solo musician. Offering unprecedented insight into Weller's creative process, his lyrics are accompanied by more than 450 photographs and items of memorabilia, and an illuminating commentary of over 25,000 words. As told to journalist and author, Dylan Jones, Magic is Paul Weller's most candid and intimate account of his musical life to date.

From 1st July 2021, VAT will be applicable to those EU countries where VAT is applied to books - this additional charge will be collected by Fed Ex (or the Royal Mail) at the time of delivery. Shipments to the USA & Canada:

As one of the most innovative and remarkable songwriters of the last 50 years, Paul Weller has proved to be the ultimate shapeshifter, moving from The Jam's punk sensibilities to the genre-defying Style Council, and later through a remarkable 30-year solo career. Collector copies also include two 8"x10" (200mm x254mm) lyric prints of one of Weller's favourite songs, 'Aspects', from his 2018 solo album True Meanings. Produced exclusively for the edition, Weller's handwritten lyrics to 'Aspects' are beautifully recreated over two sheets. The second print is numbered, stamped, and both are suitable for framing. Offering unprecedented insight into his creative process, Weller's personally curated selection of 120 song lyrics is accompanied by an illuminating commentary of over 25,000 words. As told to journalist and author, Dylan Jones, Magic: A Journal of Song presents Weller's most candid and intimate account of his musical life to date. From founding The Jam as a teenager, through his time as one half of The Style Council, to his years as a solo musician, Magic is Weller's definitive document of his songwriting career. Scratching around at home on an acoustic guitar, singing into my phone with these funny little rough ideas. All of a sudden, it turns into something beautiful or complete… it’s a fascinating thing. It’s magic.” — Paul Weller Offering unprecedented insight into Weller's creative process, his lyrics are accompanied by more than 450 photographs and items of memorabilia, and an illuminating commentary of over 25,000 words.

John Lydon [Sex Pistols] looked as though he’d shout at you, Sid Vicious [also Sex Pistols] looked as though he’d thump you, and Joe Strummer [The Clash] looked as though he’d give you a lecture. Weller just looked as though he’d tell you to f*** off and be done with it.

Customer reviews

Magic presents 130 of Weller’s finest lyrics to date, accompanied by an illuminating commentary which sees him give unprecedented insight into his life and lyrics, as told to GQ editor and author, Dylan Jones OBE, in their first collaboration.

Other songs full of political vim include The Jam’s Town Called Malice, The Style Council’s revolutionary Walls Come Tumbling Down! and their resistance anthem Shout to the Top!, as well as Weller’s 2010 solo single Wake Up The Nation. He’s certainly someone who takes great care with the way he looks,” Jones says. “He’s a very well preserved man.” It’s one of the reasons I admire him so much. I think a lot of the things he espouses now, he espoused in his 20s.

Bookstore edition

As a songwriter, Paul Weller has proved that he is not only beyond reproach, in some senses he is quite possibly without equal.' – Dylan Jones In Magic: A Journal of Song , Paul Weller talks about his life and music through a personally curated selection of over 100 songs spanning his entire musical career. Compared to most of his peers, he was performing at a very young age,” Jones tells the Daily Express.

Magic: A Journal of Song is a fascinating portrait of one of Britain’s most prolific songwriters. Magic combines a selection of 120 lyrics from across Paul Weller’s musical life, proving him to be the ultimate shapeshifter: from The Jam’s punk sensibilities to the genre-defying Style Council, through to a remarkable 30-year solo career. His third Genesis edition, Magic is narrated by Weller and illustrated with more than 450 photographs and pieces of ephemera throughout. A revealing commentary garnered over a series of conversations with journalist and author Dylan Jones covers the songs, the stories and inspirations behind them, and all of the 28 albums of Weller’s ever-evolving musical journey. In 1985 he joined a Left-wing music collective called Red Wedge. While Weller is no longer angry or young, Jones feels the singer still holds his socialist convictions. I can be scratching around at home on an acoustic guitar, or singing a funny little idea into my phone, and all of a sudden, it becomes a beautiful fully fledged song. And I'm asking myself, how did we do that again? I still find that fascinating. It's magic.' - PAUL WELLERIn late 1982, at the height of their success, Weller famously (and treacherously, according to some fans) decided to disband The Jam. Much ink has been spilt in analysing why exactly, and Jones is happy to spill some more. But there were other reasons. “They were the biggest band in Britain and one of the biggest bands in Europe, and Paul had begun to find that creatively frustrating,” he adds. There was The Eton Rifles, for example, the story of street-fighting between unemployed protesters and jeering pupils from Eton College. Paul Weller has proved that he is not only beyond reproach, in some senses he is quite possibly without equal.” — Dylan Jones