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The Style Council were an English pop band formed in Woking in 1982 by vocalist/guitarist Paul Weller and keyboardist Mick Talbot. Weller started The Style Council shortly after the breakup of his earlier rock band the Jam, intending to explore pop, hip-hop, and soul.

The permanent line-up grew to include drummer Steve White and vocalist Dee C. Lee, then Weller's girlfriend. Other artists such as Tracie Young, Tracey Thorn (Everything but the Girl) and drummer/percussionist Steve Sidelnyk also performed and collaborated with the group. As with Weller's previous band, most of the London-based group's hits were in their homeland, where they scored seven top 10 hits. The band also had hit singles and albums in Australia and New Zealand during the 1980s.

History

Formation and early singles (1982–1983)

The band was founded in Woking, Surrey in late 1982 by singer, guitarist and songwriter Paul Weller, following the break-up of his previous band the Jam. Preferring the idea of a loose, floating line-up, the band was initially a core duo of Weller and keyboardist Mick Talbot, who Weller said he chose because "he shares my hatred of the rock myth and the rock culture", augmented by various guest musicians and singers.

The band began their career releasing four consecutive non-album singles during 1983, showing a diversity of musical styles. "Speak Like a Child" was a soul-influenced pop song, "Money-Go-Round" was an extended funk track with political lyrics, "Long Hot Summer" was a synth-ballad, and "A Solid Bond in Your Heart" was influenced by Northern Soul. The latter had been recorded by the Jam the previous year as a possible last single, but had been passed over in favour of "Beat Surrender". All four singles made the Top 20 of the UK Singles Chart, reaching number 4, number 11, number 3, and number 11 respectively. Near the end of 1983, the first three singles and their B-sides were compiled on Introducing The Style Council, a mini-LP released in the US, Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands only. The Dutch version was heavily imported to the United Kingdom.

Café Bleu (1984)

In February 1984, the single "My Ever Changing Moods" became the band's third Top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 5. Released a month later, their debut studio album, Café Bleu, entered the UK Albums Chart at number 2. A different version of "My Ever Changing Moods" was included on the album, stripped down to a vocal and piano duet. Weller was the vocalist on several tracks, but the album also features guest vocalists and instrumentals, and mixes several genres, such as jazz, soul, pop, and funk; for these reasons, it divided critics and confused fans. Nevertheless, the album spent 36 weeks on the chart and was followed by two further Top 10 singles, a re-recorded version of album track "You're the Best Thing" in May and new song "Shout to the Top!" in October.

The album was complemented by a UK tour starting in March 1984 with supporting acts Billy Bragg and the Scottish pop band the Questions. These shows were dubbed "Council Meetings" and were followed by a brief European tour. Later the band played four dates in Japan, where they became hugely popular. These shows were captured on the video Far East and Far Out, released in September 1984. The band set out on their second "Council Meetings" UK tour in the autumn, this time with DJ Vaughn Toulouse. The shows were also intended to include a half-hour play directed by Tony Marchant instead of a support band, but the play was pulled in the last minute when one of the actors broke his leg. The UK dates were followed by dates in Italy where huge demands for tickets in Bologna forced a last-minute switch to a bigger venue.

In 1984, the band also undertook a brief tour of the United States. This led to the single "My Ever Changing Moods" reaching number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song remains the group's and Weller's highest charting US single, including his period with the group the Jam and also as a solo artist. By the end of 1984, the Style Council were voted "best new band" in Billboard magazine.

In December 1984, "Soul Deep", a fund-raising single for striking miners, was released under the name "The Council Collective" (featuring Vaughn Toulouse, Dee C. Lee, Leonardo Chignoli of Animal Nightlife, Junior Giscombe and US Motown artist Jimmy Ruffin), reaching the Top 30 on the UK singles chart. The Style Council ended the year playing two nights at the Royal Albert Hall.