In Echoed Steps Book reviewsTestimonials
“These pix bring back so many memories. Derek is a nice lad and it’s nice to see these pix in print after all these years!”
Paul Weller
"Cracking photo’s Derek, good luck, Bruce"
Bruce Foxton
"Derek is more than a great photographer, he is also a fan"
Rick Buckler
"Having been very lucky to have seen Derek’s iconic unseen images over the years, its great that they will now be made available to a wider Jam audience"
Jon Abnett
"One of Britain's most popular bands of the last 50 years, The Jam occupied the higher end of the pop charts during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In the summer of 1981, the group commissioned Derek D’Souza to take a series of promotional photographs to accompany their October 24th single release “Absolute Beginners”/”Tales From The Riverbank”."
The session is unique in that it removed the group from the largely urban environment they were popularly associated with. Utilising the opulent setting of Chiswick House, west London, (an estate synonymous with neo-Palladian design), Paul Weller’s impromptu display of confinement would be reflected in his decision to break up The Jam the following year to pursue a less restricted career with The Style Council."
Simon Wells
"The iconic pictures taken by Derek of The Jam that day in 1981 in Chiswick Park for the Absolute Beginners shoot have become Legendary among Jam fans throughout the world. Those pictures of Paul, Bruce and Rick would not look out of place in a Beatles book. Sharp blue suits, Weller in his psychadelic Lennon glasses and all three with confidence and attitude from being Britain’s number one band.
As a fourteen year old school boy studying every detail of the Absolute Beginners single cover the name Derek D’Souza conjured up the image of a top anglo Italian fashion photographer. Over thirty years later when our paths crossed for the first time I was delighted to discover there was no artistic attitude, but not only a great and very generous photographer but he was “one of us”. A Fan who it’s an honour I can call a friend"
Guy Helliker
Press Links:
The Daily Telegraph - Absolute Beginners shoot, Chiswick Park, 1981 - The fan who shot The Jam
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/11715776/The-fan-who-shot-The-Jam.html
Daily Mail - About The Young Idea - The Jam exhibition Somerset House 2015
NME - 'Absolute Luck' - Unseen photos of The Jam
Read more at http://www.nme.com/photos/absolute-luck---unseen-photos-of-the-jam/292413#h7E7JGHyg2c04roB.99
MERC Icons - Derek D'Souza
http://www.merc.com/mercblog/merc-icons---derek-d-souza/
Get Surrey - Legendary The Jam photo set for National Portrait Gallery
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/legendary-jam-photo-set-national-8217273
Paul Weller.com
http://www.paulweller.com/news.php?item=558
Absolute Luck
http://absoluteluck.co.uk/about-absolute-luck/
‘In The Crowd’ – 100 Unseen Pictures of The Jam:
On May 16th 2013 Marshall Cavendish & Delicious Junction publish ‘In the Crowd’ – a new book by celebrated photographer Derek D’Souza.
The book features 176 pages in full colour, with over 100 unseen images of The Jam.
Looking back over the shots, Weller said “These pix bring back so many memories. It’s nice to see these pix in print after all these years!”
‘In The Crowd’ available now at www.amazon.co.uk
http://www.sosoactive.com/in-crowd-the-jam-1979-1982/
Book reviews from Amazon
By Sue The Jug
This review is from: In The Crowd: Images of The Jam (Paperback)
A picture is worth a thousand words and so this book speaks volumes…
Absolute gems capturing both the era and one of the best bands around!
By Cowboymod
Format: Paperback
Seeing this book, meeting Derek, was another great moment in my life as a fan of the jam... when these pictures first came out around 1981….. the images affected, not only what we were listening too, but also the way we dressed, how we wore our hair & even the shoes on our feet…. the jam were our style monitors... & Derek's photos gave us new inputs, he caught Weller with one of his most iconic hairstyles, & then also, just as he cropped it off... I remember these pictures so well, I cut them out of magazines & put them on my wall... to finally meet the man who took these photographs, to thank him for bringing them to us, was a great moment. this book is a brilliant study from one man's eye on one of the greatest bands of all time... buy this book, you’ll love it... he helped make me pick up a camera & go photograph bands, etc, the energy he captures, will take you back to those days or might even make you pick up a camera?… thanks Derek
This review is from: In The Crowd: Images of The Jam (Paperback)
Did not put this book down until it was read front to back and then again and every picture looked at again and again.
Brilliant unseen images of the band give a real insight into Derek’s involvement. I have met Derek previously and heard some excellent stories from his days photographing the Jam, so I knew this book would be a must have!
Highly recommended.
By Nick G
This review is from: In The Crowd: Images of The Jam (Paperback)
This is a brilliant book from a great guy who has kindly shared his deep collection of fascinating images of The Jam! A true insight into how it all went down back in the early 80′s. The large prints for sale on the authors' website are also well worth a look! Great collector's pieces that can only gain in value over the years.
By Colin Foster
This review is from: In The Crowd: Images of The Jam (Paperback)
Not only are the photos and images superb, having stood the test of time (a sign of a great photographer) but the story alone is incredible. Highly recommend this book to all Jam fans. Derek deserves your support for his talent, effort, and desire to bring this into the public domain.
This review is from: In The Crowd: Images of The Jam (Paperback)
In The Crowd is without a doubt the best book of photos and memories of our band THE JAM I had the pleasure of following The Jam throughout their career meeting Derek in 79 at the Rainbow London. It is suiting that this book photo’s taken by Derek should finally be put together for us the fans and Paul, Bruce and Rick + their families to enjoy. Thank you Derek
By Steve Carver
This review is from: In The Crowd: Images of The Jam (Paperback)
A wonderful collection of photographs of Woking’s finest, over 170 jam-packed pages. what makes this book special is that Derek D’Souza had managed to get an “in” with the group, eventually being invited by The Jam themselves to a private photoshoot in Chiswick Park. along with these stunning images, we get dozens of live shots, but what really sets these apart is that most of these are unseen soundcheck/rehearsal pictures. couple this with Derek’s wonderful tales of sneaking or blagging his way into gigs (complete with a camera!) and finally meeting his heroes and you have yourself a fantastic souvenir of Britain’s best-ever band.
By Phil Potter
This review is from: In The Crowd: Images of The Jam (Paperback)
Derek D’Souza is like many of us, a fan of The Jam, but one thing that is different is that he took a very decent camera to the concerts back in 1979 and snapped away at the band playing live until they split in 1982, So good were these photos that The Jam asked him to take photos for one of there singles (Absolute Beginners from 1981) at Chiswick Park in West London, he went on to capture the band many more times live, And now you can see his fantastic work in this excellent book, if you are a fan of the jam or just a music fan then this books a must... see how powerful The Jam was live and how Derek caught them in all there glory… you won’t be disappointed.
In Echoed Steps book reviews:
Stuart Deabill August 2017
When Derek initially told me he was working on a new Jam book with Simon Wells, and it was going to be a coffee table job at a minimum of £75, I immediately thought – ‘priced me out son’. And The Jam was all about accessibility. But good luck to them all the same, both top lads and will carry the flame on no doubt.
Forward 8 months and a gifted copy of ‘In Echoed Steps’ is left over the back gate, (whilst I was out getting the dog’s nails cut, whilst a parrot repeats ‘Hit The Road’ in the local pet shop, yes I know) by a hapless courier.
Made a cup of tea, sat down, and opened the package. Well, that flame has now come to fruition and it’s not a small one but a great big bonfire. I can honestly say my misgivings we’re proved wrong, it’s worth every penny and then some.
The Jam in the last 5 years has rightly taken its place as one of the most loved bands to come out of the British Isles through a documentary, 2 exhibitions and various other publications including mine and Snowy’s fantastic ‘Thick As Thieves’ which I believe wasn’t there before.
What this wonderfully produced hardback publication does is show Paul Weller’s influences, as well as point to how he influenced a generation to a higher state of consciousness, through the band’s songs, media interviews and high art.
The real beauty of the book lies in Paul Skellett’s design.
For want of a better phrase, ‘it’s out of this fucking world’. By taking pictures that have been seen before but blending them together with the 60’s and 70’s iconography from music, film and fashion it breathes brand new life to a story we all know and love.
There’s a picture of PW from 1977, resplendent in all its monochrome suit glory, next to a temporary main influence, Wilko Johnson that puts them in the same room, almost as brothers, which will only make sense if/when you see it.
The design is not a smokescreen to detract away from the importance of Derek’s photos that have always given the viewer a glimpse from their own seats or upright position in a theatre, leisure centre, or concert hall.
AAA wasn’t on the agenda back then, so he sneaked his Pentax into gigs and snapped away hoping he wouldn’t get collared. Adding the adrenaline coming off the stage, it makes for a tumultuous and riveting document. Remember these are physical days. A camera isn’t something attached to your phone. There’s a massive detachment from the comfort zone.
35 years later, out of focus, never seen before shots have been put in a context that many wouldn’t have seen coming. Myself included.
Simon Wells is a great writer, he recently did an article on The Spitfires which I thought was one of the best-written pieces the band has ever had. So I knew the words would be well thought out and decisive.
The idea of marrying Paul’s vision around the time of Sound Affects in late 1980, moving forward to The Gift release in early 1982 and looking for an alternative England/Albion in amongst the threat of Nuclear war, the birth of Thatcherism and Reaganism, cults kicking the fuck out of each other (no apologies if I’ve just invented an ‘ism) and Chelsea being stuck in the second division was diverse enough.
But with Weller quotes and personal insights littered like tiny bombs all the way through the book, it took me back to my childhood in a way that’s removed from nostalgia. It made me realise how scary living in West London/UK was. Or would have done if it wasn’t so fucking exciting!
I can’t praise ‘In Echoed Steps’ enough, for me this reflects the absolute technicolor The Jam represents to many of us, who looked further than just playing All Mod Cons on a Saturday night after a few beers, wearing stage shoes and trousers that should have stayed in 1980 or starting a tribute band.
Vision has been restored.
Steve Carver 11.08.2017
... I Don't think my hands have trembled this much while opening a package since I worked out my parents had bought me a Johnny Seven ( one man army gun ) for Christmas ......
In Echoed Steps – The Jam and a vision of the Albion.
When I had ( reluctantly) stripped off the shrink wrap, I found myself handling the treasure within as if I was looking at someone's wedding album, turning the pages carefully like a subject on " Who do you think you are ". What I mean is , this book just oozes quality, hell, it even smells classy. Usually, when I have read a book, I lend it out, give it away, or stick it on a shelf and forget it.
Not this baby! Handily the size of an LP record ( ask your Dad ? ), this is something you will treasure and cherish alongside your prized music collection. Worth the entrance fee for the ( Derek D'Souza ) pics. alone, ( someone said he would like to rip the pages out and frame them ), I get that, some pages are " pop art " masterpieces in their own right. Wonderful work by Paul Skellett, enhancing Derek's ( already wonderful ) shots.
I have just spent a day sitting in the garden, reading the story of my mates, my school, my home town, and " my group". A totally absorbing adventure brought to life from the pen of Simon Wells, even making me sound halfway intelligent ( interviewed one drunken afternoon in a Woking boozer ! ).
Do you need another book about The Jam ? .. the answer is YES! What you get here is something that you are gonna revisit countless times .... several hours later, I have only scratched the surface, I found myself " going backward" to marvel again at a previous page / collage. Dunno if I have ever called the book "beautiful " before, but this time...
Don't wait 'til Christmas, it will drive you mad, ( like it did me, knowing my machine gun was hiding on top of my Mum's wardrobe ) 75-pound notes, I believe, the price of a good night out ( and a bad hangover ! ) ... I can't pretend I am not biased, Derek is a good friend ( cheers then mate ! ), Simon is a lovely bloke, and my quotes litter the pages like time bombs ... ( I am immensely proud to be ( a small ) part of The Jam story. and honored to be part of this magnificent book.
Go on, treat yourself (or your loved one).
Mark Baxter 21.08.17
'Art should disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed'
In a way, I was pleased to read in his opening blurb that Derek D'Souza needed to be convinced to do another book on The Jam using his now-iconic photos of the band. It would be very easy for him to do a 'cash in job' with them.
But you can all relax
This new book 'In Echoed Steps' is definitely not that.
No. This is ART
Writer Simon Wells and art director and designer Paul Skellett
join him to complement and enhance the photos to a level they have long deserved. This combination of the images, the design and words simply deserve each other.
My advice to you dear reader is to go and buy a coffee table if you haven't got one and then place this upon it in pride of place, as you'll be returning to it, time and time again.
I have known Simon for over 20 years and he has always been what they now call an 'influencer'. He popped in my shop in SE5 way back when picked up my love of all things the 60s and came back shortly after with a VHS bootleg copy of 'Bronco Bullfrog'; a film I had known about but hadn't ever seen. I then discovered his book 'Your Face Here' and he brought alive the locations of many of my favorite films within that. I have been a fan of his books ever since.
I have also been privileged to have been invited along on his many famous 'Beatles' related London walks and that education has stood me in very good stead over the years.
In this book, Simon describes Paul Weller discovering early on books and films that later fed into his lyrics and music which in turn would captivate a generation and therefore provide an education they themselves hadn't received. In my personal experience, people like that cannot be thanked enough.
My overwhelming feeling looking at page after page of photos was of the memories that came flooding in and the realisation that at the time, you either GOT this, or you didn't. If you did, and I mean REALLY got it, you tended to be in for the long term. That is why it all meant so much.
Reading Simon's history of The Jam, makes you feel he was embedded within the camp at the time. He wasn't of course, but has spoken to those who were like Steve Carver - Tufty to all that have the pleasure of knowing him. So the research is top-notch and written with a flow that is irresistible.
I also found the book very visually engaging and hats off to Mr Skellett for that. There is so much to take in on most of the pages, and that can only be a good thing. Honestly, the presentation is of a very high standard and that deserves to be applauded.
Now, Derek's photos. They are the ones you WISH you had the talent to take yourself. The gig shots capture the general excitement and 'buzz' that came off that stage when The Jame were in their pomp.
But it is his Chiswick House photos that stop you in your tracks. The story behind them has been well documented elsewhere so I won't dwell on that here, but the access Derek got on the day he took them, wasn't wasted for one second. The fact that in real terms he was a virtual novice at the time, is startling.
As the PW man himself said in 1982 when breaking up the band 'I want this to count for something'
Well, with this book, Wells, Skellett and D'Souza have achieved just that...