OUR FAVOURITE SHOP

The second long playing record from The Style Council, the follow-up to last year's 'Cafe Bleu'. Nothing to do with Harrods or Fortnums and Masons, 'Our Favourite Shop' is a mythical place where the Councillors have gathered together things past and present which have enriched their lives over the years.

Paul: The original idea was a kind of parallel between a shop where all our favourite things are jumbled up and thrown in, but in a way which worked, the same way that our music has a lot of different styles but what comes out makes sense to us.

People complained that 'Cafe Bleu' was a jumble of styles - that there were so many things going on it got confused. But it wasn't confusing to us - it just wasn't what people are used to, that's all. I think that 'Cafe Bleu' is good - not a great album, but the right thing for us to do at the time. It takes time to find your feet, and though there's still loads of styles on 'Our Favourite Shop' it's more coherant and more confident.

We took more time over it too. I don't think we'd ever rehearsed songs before we recorded them, but we did this time.

We didn't set out to make an overtly political album, we just chose the beat songs. As far as I'm concerned though, if a song actually says something then it's got to take precedence over something which just says 1 love you baby'. The lyrics are really vital to the record so I made sure the vocals were up in the mix because sometimes I think they've been down and lost a little bit.

Paul: I write quite a lot. There's 14 tracks on the album and three B-sides on 'Walls . ..' which aren't on the LP. If you go out and buy a Wham! album with eight tracks, you've already heard five of them, so all you're left with is three new songs. I'd hardly call that prolific! It's pathetic. If I was a songwriter who only turned out eight songs a year I'd give it up and start bricklaying or something.

MICE OR MEN?
Mick: People who don't listen that hard assume that because something is light and Latin-sounding then all it is is just a pleasant tune.

Paul: Pop music is very rarely subtle, people get conditioned into thinking that anger equals loud music or loud guitars. I used to think that, but I don't any more. I hope the songs on 'Our Favourite Shop' and everything they say will make people angry without us having to turn our instruments up. People get bombarded with pop music which is just one way or another. There's always a stereotype. It's either angry or it's slushy and wimpy.

Mick: You can still get power and aggression across even though the guitar isn't going wah-wah-wah at full blast.

STONES THROW
"For liberty there is a cost/it's broken skull and leather cosh; From the boys in uniform.  Now you know whose side you're on."
Pretty dramatic stuff - pulling together Chile, Johannesburg. Poland and South Yorkshire in a powerful three minute song ....

Paul: I suppose it is dramatic, but the point I wanted lo make is that it's also on your own doorstep. I'm not comparing the miners situation with that in Johannesburg but it still comes down to the fact that the miners felt their rights were being threatened and they were sticking up for them. Fundamentally it's the same thing, the same struggle.

Mick: Some things in the songs are a bit larger than life because you have to get people's initial attention and make points noticable. Most of the lyrics are pretty factual - based on things that have happened in the past year or so.

OUR FAVOURITE SHOP The title track, and the only instrumental on the album.

Mick: This started on the last lour in the soundchecks when I'd be doodling around with a Latin rhythm. Rather than call it 'The Talbot Samba' we thought we'd call it 'Our Favourite Shop'. I see it as the kind of theme music for the album - if we made a film of the LP it'd be up there at the front.

INTERNATIONALISTS "Without the strength of us all together, the world as it stands with remain forever.

Paul: It's all in the song really. It's very simple — almost borders on sloganeering, but it's difficult to put across in any other way. It sounds simple, but when people band together things do change - there's no point in trying to complicate that.

WITH EVERTHING TO LOSE
(The first recorded work by The Style Council featuring lyrics written by drummer Steve White.)
Steve: I only write when I've got something to say and I fell I did after I went to the House of Commons. It was for a press conference about the Youth Trade Union Rights Campaign, and a real eye-opener for me. I found out all these facts about the YTS and how many people have died and lost limbs on them. It really affected me, and the only way I could do something sitting at home was to write about it.

I hadn't written anything for The Style Council before, so I was really nervous - I thought they'd take the piss, but they didn't . . .

I must admit I was really proud of it. I love hearing all the stuff I've played drums on but that was something a bit different - I felt I'd made a real contribution. When you play drums you can be really expressive, but with 'Everything To Lose' it really showed exactly how I felt about the scandal of the Youth Training Schemes.

STAND UP COMIC
"Keep 'em laughing and don't stop/Or the truth might catch up and spoil the lot . . . "
A gruff, gravelly-voiced Northern comedian (aka Lenny Henry) give some advice on how to succeed in the working mens clubs . . .

Paul: We got to know Lenny when we did a TV show, and when I showed him the lyrics he really liked them. When I first wrote it I wasn't sure what it was going to be-I was hoping I could fit it into a song, but it soon became obvious that it would be impossible. It's great that Lenny did it—there's so many ironies there. As a black person he's obviously had all that racist stuff, and he's been through it as a comedian, having lo do all those horrible routines in crappy social clubs.

DOWN IN THE SEINE
Pretentious? Moi? A rolling, swirling breeze of a song, with breathy vocals from Paul, partly sung in French, and given an even more Gallic flavour by the addition of accordian. Must've been written on some Parisian boulevard, n'est ce pas?

Paul: I wrote that in England over a year ago. It is supposed to capture an atmosphere a little bit though. It started out fairly tongue in cheek, but as it developed we got more serious about it because it was starting to sound really good.

I still like that European influence in our stuff. It's only in there occasionally, and I think it's good. A lot of people still find it pretentious, but I think it's something we could work on more and develop.

WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN
"You don't have to take this crap/You don't have to sit back and relax/You can actually try changing it."

Paul: People shouldn't take it too literally. I wouldn't like "you don't need to take this crap" to be taken as our final statement on the album as it tends to oversimplify everything we've said before. There's a brilliant quote on the sleeve from Tony Bonn which says something like 'It's not enough lo write songs and poems about liberty, you have to dedicate your whole life to it'.

"I know we've always been taught to rely/Upon those in authority/But you never know until you try/How things just might be/if we come together so strongly."

BLOODSPORTS
A gentle folksy track on the flip of 'Walls . . . ', 'Bloodsports' was a timely attack on the hypocrisy of country hunting folk who spend a morning in prayer and an afternoon chasing and watching an animal being ripped to death by their hounds. Writing royalties went to the Bristol Defence Fund for two hunt saboteurs jailed for anti-bloodsport activities.

I don't know the two boys in nick, but I agree with what the saboteurs do. It's hard for them to raise money because they're labelled as extremists, even though support for them is really widespread. Animal rights demonstrations get people of all ages and status at them, from anarchist punks to old grannies.

Further information from Hunt Saboteurs Assoc., PO Box 19, London SE20 9LR.

POLAND
For their 'Walls Come Tumbling Down' video, our intrepid Style Councillors went to Poland to film. Partly because they wanted to see what it was like there for themselves, and partly because they thought they might be able to play some gigs there. Their verdict?

Paul: There's not actually much you can say about it without putting it down. I don't want to sound too negative, but it looked pretty much like I thought it would - drab and boring. It had that kind of bleak look that you get in Scandanavian countries - and all the buildings looked really functional. It's very openly corrupt there too with people trying lo buy dollars off you all the time 'cos that's the main black market currency.

We filmed the video at a jazz club - there didn't seem to be any pop fans there. It could've been done anywhere really.

People always hold up the Eastern Bloc as examples that socialism doesn't work, but it isn't socialism, so that argument's redundant. Socialism doesn't mean everyone should have nothing, it means everyone should have something. And any system that has to keep going by fear and intimidation can't be socialist. There's a thin line between that and fascism.

POLITICS AND POP
Paul: The Labour Party is the only viable alternative to the lories, but there are just so many things that are frustrating about them. There's a lot of mouthing off but there doesn't seem to be any kind of real physical support for young people. They're never gonna win them over with mere words. One minute they announce their youth drive to try and win over more votes, and the next Kinnock's condemming the school strikes.

Mick: Kinnock doesn't want to get entrenched too much in case it conies back on him. He's got high ideals, but gets nervous when there's some action, and he's not the only one.

Paul: I don't think there's many politicians I'd put my faith in - there's so many careerists among them.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH YEAR FOR BRITAIN 
Did you know that this was your year? Growing unemployment, insufficient training opportunities, sexism, racism and the threat of nuclear war, the United Nations decided all this meant that 1985 should be made International Youth Year. Paul Weller was approached to be joint President along with actress Julie Walters. The idea was to make young people aware that this was their year.

A film to publicise IYY was made starring Madness, Strawberry Switchblade, Jerry Dammers, Rik Mayall, Martyn Ware, Robbie Coltrane and Lenny Henry, along with Style Council and Julie Walters, and people from youth groups round the country.

The idea was for it to be shown on music programmes, but so far that hasn't really happened.

"I'm still a bit unsure about my involvement, really," says Paul. "I think it's more of a media thing in a way -I'm a sort of figurehead. I spoke at the first national conference in Sheffield which was interesting. There's several different aims to it-it depends who you talk to. There are lots of hiking clubs and Brownie groups, which is fine, but there's also the people whose interest is more political - that's more the side I'd like to be involved in. I think the aim should be to create a circulation of information among young people through all these groups, then use it in a political way.

There is a national lobby of Parliament in November, and more information is available from English IYY Committee, 57 Chariton Street, London NWI IHU. COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

On December 14th 1984, members of The Style Council who had joined forces with Jimmy Ruffin, Junior Giscombe, Dizzy Heights, Leonardo Chignoli (Animal Nightlife), Vaugh Toulouse and Martyn Ware (Heaven 17) released a single called 'Soul Deep'. Calling themselves Council Collective, the aim was to raise money for the families of the striking miners.

At the time the miners had been on strike ten months, violence on the picket lines was peaking and the message for union solidarity was not one the station of the nation wanted to broadcast. Despite lack of airplay though, the single got to no. 26 in the chart.

Paul: We put it out as The Council Collective because there was equal involvement from everybody, and also as a way of putting the song first. We didn't want it lo matter who it was by, we wanted people lo listen to what it was saying. I think it's important to have records in the charts which show a more realistic side of life. There's all these bands making videos in exotic places and singing about what a great time they're having and how marvellous the world is. But everything isn't marvellous for everyone.

Mick: I was disappointed by the lack of airplay it got but I wasn't surprised. I was really pleased with the way it turned out though. It was done very quickly but everyone contributed a lot. They didn't just come in and do their vocals -there was a good spirit. 

For your listening pleasure/the style council 

SINGLES
Speak Like A Child 
Money Go Round (Parts 1 & 2)* 
A Paris*
A Solid Bond In Your Heart 
My Ever Changing Moods* 
Groovin' *
Shout To The Top* 
Walls Come Tumbling Down* 
Come To Milton Keynes*

•
L.P.'S
Cafe Bleu 
Our Favourite Shop
•

*Available on 12”
•

ON TOUR WITH THE STYLE COUNCIL
What do you play on the coach when you're travelling between shows?

Mick: It depends. If it's the morning and you put tapes on Vaughn's coach-blaster you get shouted at. I don't like wearing Walkmans, they just get on my nerves, so I like to hear my own tapes on Vaughn's thing, though I'm not so sure about some of his! He plays things on the coach that he'd never play in a club - half the time I think he's just trying to see how much we can take. In the morning it depends how tender you feel. You either have to wake up with ballads or something really mad.

Any rituals before the show?

Mick: Yeah, we usually have a chant! Seriously! We get in a little circle and start chanting. Steve started it off on the last lour. 

Steve: It's really good — it helps me anyway.
Mick: All the promoters in Europe really get frightened! They think we're gonna start frothing at the mouth.

Steve: We chant 'Here we go, here we go here we go . .. ' but it's not like a hooligan thing - I know it's associated with that but I think it's good, it builds up the excitement.

Dee: It doesn't make me feel any better! It makes me feel worse and I start getting really nervous.

Steve: No, it's great if you get into it - it means you can really burst onstage.

Dee: I just sit in the toilet being sick! 

Mick: Another thing we do is have a little disco at the sound check. We've had some really good ones, but sometimes you're dancing away and you get interrupted 'cos they open the doors and let the audience in!

Steve: I always go down the front and wind Vaughn up - make requests for 'My Generation' and things like that. He gets really annoyed.

What about after a gig ?
Steve: We usually stop off at a chip shop!

Mick: We don't have a lengthy debate if something has gone wrong. We either come off and go, 'That was brilliant' or 'That was shit' and that's it . . . and we usually find someone to blame. Sometimes we'll listen to the tape of the gig the morning after.

Do you watch videos on the coach?
Steve: Yeah, it used to be 'Clockwork Orange', every time, but that got nicked.

Paul: 'Restaurante D'Amour' — it's an art film. lt involves banans and chefs. I'll say no more . . .

Mick: We had quite a collection of Lindsay Andersen stuff last time. 

Paul: I personally hate those videos on coaches 'cos they always show the same films - every one's got 'Mad Max'. Seems like every coach must carry 'Mad Max II'.

Steve: There's nothing wrong with that!

Mick: And you always get the collected Young Ones. I've seen them so many limes. And Richard Pryor in concert— it's quite funny the first hundred times, but after that . . .                                                     ^
Steve: I saw 'Bladerunner' three times in one day once! On the coach, then twice at the hotel and I still couldn't understand it!

Mick: The best ones are Vaughn's compilation tapes- he's like the video DJ too. He's got a lot of good clips like from when they showed Woodstock, the only decent thing was Sly And The Family Stone, and he had that. 

Paul: He had Jimi Hendrix as well though ...' 

Mick: He thought that was Prince, so it was OK!

What do you take along to read?
Paul: Whatever I'm reading at the time - it could be anything. 

Steve: I tend to go a bit lightweight - not trash, I like to read a lot of British novels. Maybe something that's easy to pick up and put down. 

Paul: We don't allow ideologically unsound books . . . 

Steve: Yeah, I read 'Das Capital' on the last tour- I rewrote it actually. I'm
thinking of putting a drum machine behind it. 

Mick: I read about four or five at once 'cos I can never settle on one. 

Paul: Dee reads Freemans catalogues and Tupperware magazines. She likes to keep in touch with the latest kitchen trends. She sits there in her rubber gloves with a little picture of her cooker . . . 

Mick: She's a trainee suburban housewife-she's gonna open a trendy shop for housewives called Prefab. 

Dee: Actually, I don't really read, I usually just want to sleep because I never got to bed the night before. I've usually been up drinking! 

Mick: After ten minutes on the coach she puts a sack over her head and does her Elephant Man impression!

Do you go out much after you've played?
Dee: We don't actually go out raving - I just stay awake 'cos I've still got so much adrenalin going.

Mick: We usually find out where the good Indian restaurants are. 

Steve: After a gig most of us are usually too knackered to go anywhere -except for Dee.
Paul: In Britain it's difficult to find anywhere to go - most places are shut.

Mick: We tend to stay in the hotel, trash a few rooms, throw some telly's out of the window . . .

Who s got the most annoying habits on tour? SILENCE.

Mick- Well, I think it's Vaughn, isn't it? (Vaughn is not present). No, that's not fair. Steve's a bit too jolly in the mornings because he always goes straight to bed when he gets to the hotel.

Dee: He gets up all healthy and happy as I'm crawling to bed! 

Mick: Dee usually hasn't got her alarm call, she's got about 89 plastic bags and she's lost something . . .

Paul: There's a lot of bad tempers in the morning - everyone's tired and they've all got hangovers.

Mick: I've got a bad habit of, if we do have a party, waking up still drunk. I just won't stop talking . . . Paul hasn't really got any annoying habits. Sometimes he wraps himself up in a scarf and drifts away and just grunts if anyone's playing horrible music. 

Paul: I try and keep myself to myself . . .

Mick: Unless there's a good game of cards and he thinks he can fleece someone.

Dee: That's what drives me mad - when they all start playing cards. 

Mick: That's what causes a few rows. John Weller always wins. There had to be two leagues last time - a junior one and a senior one 'cos John was getting into telephone numbers. It was 'You owe me a house!'

Is there any one thing you always take on tour with you?
Mick: Yeah, I've got this pink bear - well, I think it's a bear - a fan sent it to me. I put it in a case I always take with me and I've just left it there - dunno if I've got superstitious about it.

Dee: Nothing really, just my stripey tights. I always bring them to wind everybody up.

Mick: She stands on her head and does her impression of Sweeny Todd's door.

Paul: I always take my, I won't call it a ghetto blaster 'cos it's not big enough - an alleyway blaster or a big Walkman maybe. I haven't had it customised or anything. I just like to have some music with me. 

Steve: Art Blakey tapes and a practice pad - that does me.

Best gig ever seen?
Mick: The Dr Feelgood Christmas Party, 1976 at Hammersmith Palais.
 
Paul: The Might Clouds Of Joy in '83 or '84? 

Steve: Buddy Rich at Ronnie Scotts, 1982. 

Dee: Luther Vandross.

Do you do anything to train for a tour?
Steve: A few of us have got into Kung Fu lately. I know a lot of people smirk and laugh at it, but we do take it quite seriously, and it does help. Paul's been doing it about a year now, me and Dee have been doing it a few months. It helps to give you stamina, and I think you have got to do some preparation, especially if you've been sitting in a studio for half the year.

Mick: I do a lot of things, but I'm not part of the Hai Karate set because I don't think it's a thing that would come naturally to me.

Paul: And don't forget the drinking. You have to train for that. And the birds...

Mick: It's quite funny, but on days off you miss gigs. You get bored really easily and you're annoyed that you haven't got one to do. 

Steve: Especially if you do a blinding gig then you've got two days off.

Do you lose weight on tour?
Dee: Yeah, I do. Even though I eat loads of junk food I burn it all off when we're onstage.

Steve: For me, eating is one of the most important things on tour. 

Paul: Well, you have to eat, don't you . . . I feel the same way about breathing y'know.

THIS TOUR
Paul: We're all a lot more confident now because we've done more concerts. It's more of a challenge too in some ways compared with the last tour because this time there's no horn section to fall back on - it's just down to us lot. We dropped the horn section because I think there was a danger of us getting stuck with that sound — we like to feel that we're adaptable and that we can change the line-up. It's important to keep that, otherwise you end up being just like any other hand.