THE STYLE COUNCIL CAFE BLEU MOD

It notched up a total of 13 weeks in the top 40 (including a re-entry in October), of which three weeks were spent in the top 10. In the UK, the group reached the height of its popularity with the release of Our Favourite Shop, which entered the UK album chart at number 1 immediately following its release in June 1985 (only to be supplanted by Bryan Ferry's Boys and Girls a week later). 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. This led to modest chart success with the single ' My Ever Changing Moods', which reached No. 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 the following month. In 1984, the band undertook a brief tour of the United States. However, the album spent 36 weeks on the chart and was followed by two further Top 10 singles, ' You're the Best Thing' in May and ' Shout to the Top' in October. A mixture of many styles including jazz, soul, pop and funk, featuring guest vocalists and not including any of the previous singles (except a different version of 'My Ever Changing Moods') it left some fans confused and critics divided.

The debut album Café Bleu, released a month later, entered the UK Albums Chart at number 2. In February 1984 the single ' My Ever Changing Moods' became their third Top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 5. In November 1983 the single ' A Solid Bond in Your Heart' reached number 11 on the UK singles chart. The Dutch version was heavily imported to the United Kingdom. Near the end of 1983, these songs were compiled on Introducing The Style Council, a mini-album initially released in the US, Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands only. Singles ' Speak Like a Child' (with its loud soul-influenced style), the extended funk of 'Money-Go-Round', and the synth- ballad ' Long Hot Summer' all featured Talbot on keyboards and organ, and reached number 4, number 11 and number 3, respectively, on the UK Singles Chart. The band showed a diversity of musical styles. The band was founded in late 1982 by Paul Weller and initially consisted only of himself and Mick Talbot, who Weller said he chose because 'he shares my hatred of the rock myth and the rock culture'. The band also had hit singles and albums in Australia and New Zealand during the 1980s. 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. Other artists such as Tracie Young, Tracey Thorn ( Everything but the Girl) and drummer/percussionist Steve Sidelnyk (who has played for Madonna, Seal and Richard Ashcroft ) also performed and collaborated with the group. The permanent line-up grew to include drummer Steve White and Weller's then-girlfriend, vocalist Dee C. The band enabled Weller to take his music in a more soulful direction.

THE STYLE COUNCIL CAFE BLEU MOD

The Style Council were a British band formed in late 1982 by Paul Weller, the former singer, songwriter and guitarist with the punk rock/ new wave/ mod revival band the Jam, and keyboardist Mick Talbot, previously a member of Dexys Midnight Runners, the Bureau and the Merton Parkas.

The style council cafe bleu