Journalist and author Paolo Hewitt has written extensively on bands like Oasis, The Jam and The Small Faces, on British youth culture and, in particular, on the Mods. Latterly he's also written about his childhood and adolescent experiences in care. Here, in an interview recorded on 7th June 2006, Paolo talks to SFR about all these things and more.

Paolo Hewitt has had a long standing association with Paul Weller. The two have know each other since the early 1970's and Hewitt is widely assumed to be the Style Council's 'Cappuccino Kid' (though, to this day, he remains tight lipped on the subject).

In these poignant and touching tributes to Mr Weller Hewitt reveals the depth of their friendship:
On the Woking Wonders:

"I used to think what a f*#king dreadfull name for a band - "The Jam"!.I could see the thinking. The Bread. The Marmalade. The Jam. I think they should do a follow up band - The Cup of Tea!".

On the first time he met Weller:

"I thought what a f#*king wan*er! He had a parka on. I mean, this was 1974. We were trying to be like soul boys. Like David Bowie, like young Americans! And here's Paul in his fu#king parka, with his scooter outside and WHITE SOCKS! I thought, fu#king hell, look at this geezer! Where is he from? Where's he been for the last twenty years?"

Special thanks to: Paolo Hewitt and to David Brown for arranging the interview.

Picture with kind permission.