Left arm! Left arm!

As in, I'd give my left arm for tickets. (I'm right-handed:)

Most people reach a point in their career where they just need a clean break, a chance to try something new and spread their wings. That's exactly where Paul Weller was in 1982, when he shut the door on the Jam, a U.K. phenomenon that was finally making inroads in the States with the single "Town Called Malice."

Twenty-five years later, Weller is returning to the Jam canon for two immediately sold-out stands in New York and Los Angeles that mark the 30th anniversary of the Jam's debut album, "In the City." In both cities, he is playing three shows. On the first night, he's playing an entire Jam set, with the second dedicated to his post-Jam act the Style Council and the third to his solo catalog.

The dates are more blatantly meant to promote a new string of retrospectives on the indie Yep Roc label, all sharing the title "Hit Parade." Arriving on January 23 was the first single-disc U.S. collection to span Weller's entire career, encompassing Jam favorites, the hits of the Style Council and the highlights of his celebrated solo career. "Hit Parade" was also issued as a four-disc box collecting every solo, Jam and Style Council single. On February 6, a two-DVD, career-spanning set also bearing the same name will be released featuring all of Weller's videos, plus rare performances by the Jam.*

I hear echoes of the following in interviews with many Brit musicians. Music really is a universal language. Though it's most specifically American soul, not particularly pop. Maybe because there were similar economic issues? I'm not sure, though I should know. I actually took 2! classes in college on the history of rock and roll.

But back to the interview....

BILLBOARD: I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT AMERICAN SOUL AND R&B. WERE THERE SPECIFIC ALBUMS OR SONGS THAT REALLY GOT YOU HOOKED

AS A YOUNG MAN? WHAT REALLY REELED YOU IN AND HOOKED YOU?

Weller: Well, that sort of goes way back to 1966, "Reach Out (I'll Be There)," by the Four Tops, and hearing Motown as a kid. It's been an ongoing love affair for me, really. That connection has always been there, I think. There's a very strong connection between American R&B music and English people. There's always been that really strong bond, for whatever reason. But I don't know if there's one specific record. I mean, I'm still getting knocked out by stuff that I haven't heard before.

*Okay, I just noticed the bit about the performance DVD coming out in February. I'm forseeing myself and my girl, Jen, watching it and fawning, "Fwaaaaah, Mr. Weller," much like Bridget, Shazza, Tom and Jude did in Bridget Jones's Diary with the Colin Firth lake/wet shirt scene in Pride and Prejudice. Only with guitars and Saville Row suits.