Paul Weller has given his blessing to recent output by Noel Gallagher and Blur, along with Pharrell’s hit single ‘Happy’.
The singer, who is promoting his 12th solo album ‘Saturns Pattern’ (out May 18), made the comments in a new interview with The Observer.
After reflecting on his advancing years, Weller said: “Have you heard the new Blur album? It’s their best yet,” adding, “I prefer Noel’s stuff now to what he was doing with Oasis at the end.”
He went on to describe Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ as “one of the greatest records I’ve ever heard.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Weller speaks about his struggle with alcoholism. “If I had carried on as I was, I probably wouldn’t be here,” he said. “It was getting dark.”
“I’ve seen lots of people who carry on, and you just think, ‘You ain’t got long to go.’ And after a while, you’re not funny any more, you become an old drunk, you’re just boring, and you talk the same shit. You look stupid. If you try to hang on to who you think you were, you end up being a parody of yourself.”
Speaking about his disillusionment with politics, he went on: “When I saw the TV [election] debates, I just thought they looked like estate agents. I think the system is wrong, and so whoever fronts the system, the system still remains wrong. When a million people march against the [Iraq] war, you’d think they would take notice of that. But the system is already in place; it’s not a decision that we’re involved in, it’s a decision that’s been made.
“It’s an invisible establishment thing, isn’t it? The big money people. The elite. It doesn’t make any odds to me, and I don’t think it will make any odds to the country neither.”
‘Saturns Pattern’ is the follow-up to 2012’s ‘Sonik Kicks’. Musicians on the record include Steve Cradock, Andy Crofts, Ben Gordelier, Steve Pilgrim, Syd Arthur and The Strypes’ Josh McClorey.
Weller previously said that ‘Saturns Pattern’ is “one of the best things I’ve done”. He added: “I can’t compare it to any of my other albums. I think it’s different not just for me, but different from what else is around.”