Jim Cook - Head of A&R at Polydor (1975-1984) - The Jam / The Style Council

Jim Cook - Head of A&R at Polydor (1975-1984) - The Jam / The Style Council

From Paul Weller Fan Podcast by HenFred Studio

May 28, 2026 · 39 min · Season 3 · Episode 58

About this episode

Jim Cook shares his experiences as Head of A&R at Polydor Records during a pivotal time in British music.

In this episode, recorded for my book, Jim Cook shares his inside perspective from his years as Head of A&R at Polydor Records (1975-1984) during one of British music’s most exciting eras. As the man who signed The Jam and oversaw their rise, Jim reflects on the real-life stories behind the deals, the challenges of the music business in the punk and new wave era, and what it was like to work alongside one of the sharpest British bands of the time (in fact, change that to all time!) Find podcast show notes and sign up for regular information at PaulWellerFanPodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: HenFred Studio

Guest: Jim Cook

Topics covered

  • A&R
  • music history
  • punk music
  • new wave
  • The Jam
  • The Style Council

Keywords

  • A&R
  • Polydor
  • The Jam
  • The Style Council
  • music business
  • punk
  • new wave
  • British music

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Polydor Records

Books & works: The Jam, The Style Council

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