Paul Weller on Barbie, Billie Eilish and being a granddad

Paul Weller on Barbie, Billie Eilish and being a granddad5 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJames AlexanderandPatrick Barlow,South EastBBC Studios / Michael LeckiePaul Weller, 67, is releasing a new album of songs performed live for the BBC between 2008 and 2024The Jam's Paul Weller says he is very lucky to be "just another granddad" as he prepares to launch his new album.The man nicknamed "The Modfather" says he is "always looking to develop what I do" ahead of the release of his latest record, Weller at The BBC Volume 2, which features live performances of his classic hits and interpretations of other artists' songs.The singer also heaped praise on Billie Eilish whose single What Was I Made For?, from the soundtrack of the 2023 Barbie film, is one of the tracks covered by Weller.On the inspiration for the cover, he said: "I heard it so much around my house because my youngest daughter loves Billie. I really love that song."Getty ImagesWeller, left, performing with The Jam in 1982Weller, from Woking, Surrey, added: "I thought the melody was so beautiful and I really liked the lyrics, it was very clever."I just thought that could be a nice one to cover, and I knew my daughter would be thrilled as well."Best known for his role in the mod revival of the late 1970s, Weller says he has stopped drinking and gets more from his music as a result, adding he is "more conscious of what I'm doing" and "more appreciative".Reminiscing about his first gig when he was a teenager, he said: "We did a little Wednesday night around the Woking Working Men's Club and we sang to maybe 10 people who were all old boys who complained about the noise."It was a big deal for us because it was the first time we'd ever played some of our own songs."They were totally disinterested until after the bingo and then they had had enough to drink to get up and have a little jig a...