About this Event
Join us for an intimate and expansive evening with award‑winning broadcaster and journalist Dan Jennings, as he discusses Dancing Through The Fire: The Authorised Oral History of Paul Weller, the first fully authorised and definitive oral account of one of Britain’s most influential and enduring musical figures.
This event forms part of The Long Play Sessions, ICMP’s curated series celebrating transformative writers, artists and cultural voices who shape how we understand music, identity and creative expression. Each session opens a window into the stories behind the art — blending conversation, cultural history and lived experience.
In Dancing Through The Fire, Jennings traces the extraordinary creative life of Paul Weller, from the explosive urgency of The Jam, through the ambitious sophistication of The Style Council, to a prolific and uncompromising solo career spanning more than three decades. Built from over 200 hours of interviews with more than 250 contributors, including Weller himself, the book offers an unprecedented, collective portrait of a musician whose influence has defined generations.
Drawing on unique access to Weller’s inner circle of family, friends, bandmates, producers and collaborators, Jennings reveals the drive, discipline and restless creativity behind a career that continually resisted nostalgia and commercial complacency. The result is candid, generous and richly revealing — capturing not just the myth, but the man at the centre of one of British music’s most remarkable artistic journeys.
Far more than a standard biography, Dancing Through The Fire explores the realities of longevity, reinvention and creative survival. It reflects on class, culture, fandom and the personal cost of sustaining artistic integrity in the public eye, while charting how Weller became one of the very few artists to achieve Number One albums across five consecutive decades.
Paul Weller’s story — creative, uncompromising and continually evolving, speaks to anyone who cares about music as a cultural force. It asks what it takes to remain vital, curious and true to yourself when the world expects you to stand still.
Already hailed by critics as a landmark work of music journalism, Dancing Through The Fire is being recognised as the definitive account of one of Britain’s greatest artists.
What to Expect
- A talk from Dan Jennings exploring the making of Dancing Through The Fire, the interview process, and the challenge of capturing a living legend through many voices
- In‑depth discussion of creativity, longevity, reinvention and artistic integrity across five decades of British music
- Behind‑the‑scenes insight into Jennings’ unprecedented access to Paul Weller and his closest collaborators
- Reflections on class, fandom, cultural legacy and why Weller’s music continues to resonate across generations
- Audience Q&A, offering the chance to engage directly with Jennings about his research, the writing process and Paul Weller’s cultural impact
- Book signing — bring your copy or purchase one on the night
We look forward to welcoming you to The Long Play Sessions for a thoughtful, energising and unforgettable evening celebrating one of modern music’s most vital and uncompromising creative figures.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
ICMP | London, Queen's Park, 76-78 Salusbury Road, London, United Kingdom
GBP 12.50
