Paul Weller: Dancing Through the Fire

This is as definitive an account of the artist as we have to date * MOJO *[An] extraordinary new oral history of the man and his music … It’s a treasure trove of personal recollections, and the picture that emerges is of a band with an incredible connection to its fans that would be unimaginable today … Weller can’t be tied down and won’t sell out. Dancing Through the Fire offers a route to understand him, and the picture it presents is never less than surprising. We shouldn’t have expected anything else * Daily Telegraph *What is the collective noun for a group of Weller fans? A ‘jam’? Whatever it may be, Dan has brought them together in these pages, along with Paul Weller himself and all the musicians who’ve played with him for over fifty years, to tell the definitive story. A work of real journalistic dedication, perseverance and endeavour – John Wilson * Radio 4 *THE book on someone who’s touched the lives of so many of us – Gary Crowley * BBC Radio London *This is as close to a complete history of Paul Weller as you are going to get * Louder Than War *A must-read for Weller devotees that captures Paul’s artistic evolution with infectious enthusiasm! – Ric Blaxill * Bauer Media *An oral history that could arguably be the definitive document of the ever-changing man… Written with true love and insight * Shindig *An almost stalkerishy detailed account of Paul Weller’s career – Dave Roberts * God Is In The TV, Books of the Year *Oral his­tory has been a real trend this year, most not­ably Paul Weller Dan­cing Through the Fire, a sub­stan­tial book that takes its sub­ject from child­hood to The Jam, and from The Style Coun­cil to his appearance in Steve McQueen’s war­time film Blitz * Herald *It’s such a complete picture we get of Paul Weller … digs so deep, covers so much ground, so much detail and it’s really charming and touching and moving as well. It’s such an incredible book – John Kennedy * Radio X *With access to family, bandmates, producers, and longtime collaborators, Jennings reveals the creative drive, stubborn vision, and personal triumphs behind one of Britain’s most enduring songwriters * Irish Examiner, Books of the Year *Through bands and solo years, we feel part of Weller’s huge extended family of musicians, T-shirt sellers and other stars … Rock’n’roll madness yet moving, too * Record Collector *‘While Dancing Through The Fire isn’t quite the autobiography that Weller-heads have been waiting for, it’s pretty damn close.’ * Classic Pop *

Dan Jennings is a journalist, former radio presenter, and multi-award-winning content creator. His acclaimed Paul Weller Fan Podcast, Desperately Seeking Paul, debuted in December 2020, and featured 180 in-depth interviews, culminating in a two-hour conversation with Weller himself. The series’ success led to Dan’s involvement in the official marketing of Paul’s seventeenth solo studio album, 66, and a nomination for Best Music Podcast at the 2024 Independent Podcast Awards. His first book Dancing Through the Fire is a unique oral history of the iconic musician, exploring his extraordinary life and work in a new light.