January 1978
Recording session for NEWS OF THE WORLD at Morgan Studios London. The following tracks are recorded. News Of The World, Aunties & Uncles, Innocent Man & She's Got Everything. The band's publicity gathers pace, and they are featured on the cover of Beat Instrumental.
February 1978
The band again achieve early front cover status, this time on New Wave magazine & Supersonic.
A demo was recorded of Worlds Apart. The song was unreleased until 1997 when it appeared on the Direction Reaction Creation Box Set. The bridge of the song was later used on Strange Town.
13th February 1978
Belguique - Belgium. First gig of 1978
24th February 1978
The Marquee. The Jams London Blitz. The first of four London shows in preparation for the upcoming 2nd USA tour. and to coincide with the release of The Jams 4th single News Of The World/Aunties & Uncles/Innocent Man It reaches no_27 in the UK Charts. The Blitz dates were 24th & the 25th at The Marquee, 27th The 100 Club and 2nd March at The Music Machine.
9th March 1978
The Jam perform News Of The World on Top Of The Pops watch here.
11th March 1978
The Jam fly to the USA for their 2nd tour of America & Canada taking in 24 dates mainly supporting The Blue Oyster Cult with gigs in the following...Connecticut, Philadelphia, New York, Toronto, Hammond, Cleveland, Wheeling,Indiana, Boston, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin, Detroit, Cincinnati, Chicago,Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco & San Jose.
16th March 1978
Connecticut - Harvey Hubbles Gymnasium
Sold out to doped up college hippies who came to see The Blue Oyster Cult. Both The Jam and the audience are in for a culture shock. Weller moodier than ever mumbles in between songs, ordering them to get up and dance, the audience dont know weather to laugh or cry, cheer or jeer.
18th March 1978
Philadelphia - The Tower Theatre.
Opening for The Ramones - A better show than the last.
20th March 1978
New York - Four Acres Club
The Jams own show supported by The Flashcube. This was broadcast on local radio. Weller comments that the crowd had been the most responsive so far. The gig was enjoyed by both the crowd and band Weller informs the audience that their live on air so if you have something to say, say it now, then introduces the new single I Need You (US release) 14 tracks broadcast on WOUR 96.9FM
21st March 1978
Toronto - The Colonial
The Jam play two consecutive nights at the venue. Both shows well received although on the recording of the 21st Weller snaps "Who ever threw that beer or glass, wants to come down here and throw it over me," he goads the individual threatening to smash it it in their face. Weller continues the set spitting beer into the audience.
30th March 1978
New York - CBGB Theater
Billed as Polydor Recording Artists The jam played to a packed house. Mick Jagger & Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix's Drummer) Watched from the side. The band invited the press into the soundcheck and made themselves available for unlimited interviews , a ploy to try and get the press on their side. Weller only just made it back to the venue after attending a collage radio conventions but got caught up in local St Patricks Days celebrations. A great day by all accounts but sadly damped by the mugging of Mitch Mitchell after leaving the after show party.
14th April 1978
Santa Monica- The Starwood
The Jam headline and are supported by The Dickies. Polydor came up with the idea of promoting the gig by hiring a Red London Double Decker bus and have it drive around while the band rather sleeplessly meet it a local site seeing spots.
15th April 1978
San Francisco - Winterland Ballroom
Mods n Rockers (Punk) The Jam meet The Californian punks head on in the venue only a few months earlier The Sex Pistols played their very last show. Bemused by the absence of pins and zips they soon warmed to this lively band.
16th April 1978
San Jose - Exhibition Hall
The last date and the Jam were relieved to complete this miserable tour and with their experiences and negativity of the second album they were unsure of future tours and records.
Whilst away a homesick Paul Weller wrote English Rose for girlfriend Gill Price
Late April 1978
Upon their return of the USA Paul Weller writes Billy Hunt whilst sat in his back garden. He wanted this to be a single and it was announced as such on TV and at gigs. Polydor convinced him to wait until he had more materiel.
Early May 1978
A set of songs were presented to Chris Parry who dismissed them as "shit" Paul Weller stated in 1979 he had demoed I Want To Paint, A poem read out to a strummed "A" chord. There was also a "Ridiculous Country & Western" style song called On A Sunday Morning... Something that Bert Weedon would do..
Paul Weller moved back home to Woking to start working on new material for the 3rd album.
All Mod Cons.
23rd May 1978
The Jam perform 3 songs on The Old Grey Whistle Test on the BBC.
In The Street Today, Billy Hunt & A Bomb (watch A Bomb here)
1st June 1978
London - The Paris Theatre
A gig recorded for the BBC's In Concert programme where they performed ten songs and announced their next single as Billy Hunt. A blistering set, any doubts the band had about their future were blown a side by their live performances. The show was broadcast on the 10th June and released on The Jam at the BBC cd set in 2002.
5th June 1978
The Jam play a session for the Kid Jensen radio show on the BBC. Songs played are A Bomb In Wardour Street, News Of The World & The Night.
7th June 1978
The 1st version of Billy Hunt is finished at The Olympic Studios, London. This was set for release as a single with English Rose & The Night as B Sides but it was shelved. This version of Billy Hunt appeared on Direction Reaction Creation. The version on All Mod Cons was recorded in August 1978.
10th June 1978
The BBC Sight & Sound programme broadcast the 10 song set that was recorded at the
Paris Theatre London on the 1st June 1978.
12th June 1978
Start of a mini tour.
1st gig of a 7 day tour taking in venues off the beaten track. 12th King Georges Hall Blackburn,
13th Victoria Hall Keighley Cancelled, 14th The Pier Colwyn Bay Cancelled, 15th Barbarellas Birmingham, 16th Barbarellas Birmingham, 17th Friars Aylesbury, 18th Lyceum London.
29th June 1978
The Jam book into Polydor Studios London to record demos for All Mod Cons.
Songs recorded are Its Too Bad, To Be Someone, David Watts, Fly & Mr Clean.
3rd July 1978
Recording of the 3rd album All Mod Cons commences at Eden Studios London.
Songs recorded are David Watts, A Bomb In Wardour Street, To Be Someone, Its Too Bad.
10th July 1978
The Jam play 2 songs on a TV programme called Revolver.
Songs played are David Watts & A Bomb In Wardour Street. (watch here & here)
30th July 1978
As a warm up for the Reading Festival and to co inside the release of David Watts/A Bomb, The band set off on a mini tour called The Seaside Tour taking in 5 Dates Guildford, Torquay, Plymouth, Bournemouth, Swindon They insist on starting it at Guildford Civic, 50 miles from the nearest Seaside
7th August 1978
The Jam move to RAK Studios London to carry on recording All Mod Cons.
The following tracks were recorded. Down In The Tubestation,
Mr Clean, In The Crowd, The Place I Love.
11th August 1978
Release of The Jams 5th Single, David Watts / A Bomb In Wardour Street.
It reaches no_25 in the UK Charts.
13th August 1978
Bilzen Festival - Belgium
The Boomtown Rats are on the same bill, Words were exchanged between both parties.
16th August 1978
Recording sessions for All Mod Cons continues at RAK Studios London.
The following songs are recorded... The Night, All Mod Cons, English Rose, Billy Hunt & Fly.
24th August 1978
The Jam appear on Top Of The Pops and play David Watts.
25th August 1978
National Jazz & Blues Festival Reading.
The Jam had now moved up a division and were no longer playing in pubs and small clubs. They headlined on the opening day playing a 19 song set although the band were not happy with the on stage sound and Wellers amp kept cutting out which lead to the angry guitarist to smash it on the the number. The set was filmed and a mixing desk recording exists of the gig but has yet to surface.
Songs broadcast were, In The City, Mr Clean & A Bomb In Wardour Street. (watch here)
27th August 1978
Groningen Festival - Holland
The Jams third festival this month.
28th August 1978
Paul Weller is interview at the RAK Studios for the Jamming fanzine.
7th September 1978
The Jam appear on Top Of The Pops for a 2nd time with David Watts. (watch here)
10th September 1978
The mastering of All Mod Cons is completed.
13th Sept 1978
A one off session at RAK Studios to record a tribute to Keith Moon.
So Sad About Us was recorded for release on the B Side of Tubestation.
21st September 1978
The Jam appear on Top Of The Pops for a 3rd time with David Watts. (watch here)
6th October 1978
Release of The Jams 6th Single, Down In The Tubestation At Midnight.
B-Side features The Night & So Sad About Us. It reaches no_15 in the UK Charts.
20th October 1978
The Top Hat - Dublin
As a warm up for the fourth coming tour The Jam head to Ireland to play two low key gigs.
These are the bands only Irish dates.
21st October 1978
Leisure land - Galway
1st November 1978
Start of The Apocalypse Tour. 20 Dates.
Liverpool, Leicester, Bradford, Newcastle, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Fife, Shefield,
Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Coventry, Cambridge, Yarmouth, Cardiff,
Brighton, Canterbury (cancelled), Portsmouth, Bristol, Poole. The Dickies were support on the tour.
3rd November 1978
Release of The Jams 3rd album All Mod Cons.
Reaching no_6 in the UK Charts.
13th November 1978
The Jam are interviewed on Piccadilly Radio in Manchester.
The rest of the year is spent touring the All Mod Cons Album.
The last gig of 78 is at The Music Machine London on 21st December.
