Interview: Jun Sato, Paul Weller’s Japan A&R

Jun Sato took a gig with Pony Canyon’s international music division in Tokyo in 1990. One Saturday night, he watched jealously as Paul Weller‘s “Into Tomorrow” video played on the Japanese TV program “Beat UK.” Sato was jealous because he knew that it was more than likely that Weller would again be distributed by Polydor throughout the world, just like The Jam and The Style Council. Two days later, Monday morning, a Paul Weller cassette containing demo songs miraculously popped up on his office desk in Tokyo. “Weller was already an artist that I loved, so I swore to myself that I’d sign him, no matter what,” explains Sato today. “On top of that, Weller was my age – we’re both born in ’58. He took the world by storm with two bands already, I felt like it was my mission to back this brilliant artist as he headed in for round three.” Round three turned out to be a huge success. To this day, one of Weller’s most successful territories remains Japan – and so much of that is down to the work that Sato put in to help celebrate Paul Weller’s incredible music. In the below interview, Sato explains how it happened to Masashi Yuno.

Order Paul Weller’s Fly On The Wall: B Sides & Rarities now.

Back then, Weller didn’t have a deal in the UK, right?

The folks involved in the deal told me that the A&Rs in London were all saying Weller’s finished. I guess with all the new music coming on the scene in the UK in the 90s, they’d dismissed him as an 80s has-been. But, I couldn’t understand why they thought that. How could they say a guy who could write superb melodies like him was finished? Maybe his musical arrangements changed over the years, but his songs were timeless. Plus, Weller’s got charisma coming out of his ears. I mean, everyone falls for this guy! (laughs)

I guess it’s because his music always comes with the same, characteristic attitude.

That’s the thing. London might’ve thought Paul Weller was done, but I wasn’t buying it. I knew if we messed up his comeback in Japan, that’d be on me. But when we pulled it off, I felt like I’d just beat every A&R in London. Not to brag, but we hit number one on the international music charts in Japan, (and number nine on the national chart). Later on, they started calling him the Modfather back in the UK. I was like, ‘Seriously, London? Now you’ve changed your mind?’ It’s all good though. (laughs)

So, Pony Canyon basically helped launch Weller’s solo career worldwide?

You can call it that way. I was pleasantly surprised when I heard our Pony Canyon release was marked up at a premium price in HMV on Oxford Street in London, and even more so when I learnt it was selling like hotcakes. But the practicalities of organizing the album were another story.

Whenever I needed something, I would ring up Paul’s dad, John Weller, but it was his first time being an indie label, so we were both fumbling around trying to find a way forward. What surprised me most was getting a demo tape. They’d send me updated versions as they made progress, asking “This alright?”. It was very different from my previous experience.

Usually, the international music department at Japanese record labels takes what they’d given, packages it for the Japanese market and promotes it. But Pony Canyon was the only label Weller was signed for, so you became his de facto A&R right?

I guess so. It hit me that I was the only one who could make these decisions. It was like suddenly becoming an A&R for a Japanese artist. In all my years working with overseas artists, I’d never been in that position before. It was completely unexpected.

And those demo tapes eventually became his solo debut album.

Gradually. The company was hoping for something stylish, like a Style Council 2.0. But I had to convince the higher-ups to let Weller stick to his rock roots. Firstly, Paul Weller’s not going to listen to anyone and, as a guy the same age, I wanted to let him express his all. If it flopped, I was ready to go down with him. Luckily, we both came out on top. Papa John seemed happy, even jokingly said I was like a Japanese son to him.

John Weller was famous for being this legendary manager who’d been with Paul since The Jam days, right?

Yeah, the old man, he’s a genius manager. Most managers in the US put their own profit first, but not him. His son always came first. Having this kind of unconditional love made his decisions really straightforward. It was a real experience, witnessing the father son solid bond in action like this.

Dealing with that classic British working-class character – a bit shy, basically saying “I don’t trust you – and breaking through that was a whole new experience for me. It was tough, but in a good way. Made me realize I clicked more with the cool-handshake British than with warm-hugging Americans, you know what I mean?

Weller came to Japan for promo tour in March ’92. As his A&R, how did you try to get his name back out there?

I was on a mission to put Paull Weller back on the map. Lucky for us, the buzz in Japan around his solo comeback was intense. We decided to plan a club gig showcase, instead of the huge venues like Ryōgoku Kokugikan and Yokohama Arena where Style Council had played.

What did you and Paul talk about when he came to Japan for the promo?

Paul and I are not the most talkative people in the world. Picture two middle-aged blokes just sitting there in silence in a Pony Canyon meeting room. No small talk or anything. I remember telling him what we could do for him, and that we believed in him. I said something like, “We’re the same age, you’re on your third big stage, I’ve switched labels – let’s take on Japan together.” No idea if he bought it, but maybe we slowly started to click.

Did you do anything special for the fans during the promo tour?

We went full on meet and greet! (laughs) Way ahead of the curve, too. We did this thing where if you bought both the concert ticket and the CD, you could enter a draw to meet him. Only 10 fans per venue. Surprisingly, he and John were cool with it.

The meet and greet series was a scene. In each city, all 10 winners waiting in the backstage hallway, dead nervous, mumbling to themselves, what they should tell their hero at this once in a life time moment, practicing their English. As if they were prepping for a job interview or something.

In Fukuoka, the mod capital of Japan, this kid in a sharp mod suit and hat tells Weller, “I want to be you.” And Weller goes, “Don’t be me, be yourself.” I was like, “This is it!” That’s why he hit number one on the Oricon album chart. The secret of Weller – Japan love affair. It was a beautiful moment. I’ll never forget.

Did you catch his show in January this year?

Yeah. The Weller camp kindly invited me. When I went backstage, it was wild – grandkids and band members’ kids running around. Felt like I’d stepped into that Joe Cocker documentary, “Mad Dogs & Englishmen”. You could tell it was this big family affair touring the world.

I don’t think they planned it that way, but Weller’s been surrounded by family and close friends making music since day one. Papa John left us, and suddenly he’s the oldest one around leading the pack but the backstage vibe has not changed since the John / Kenny (Wheeler) days. As I was leaving the venue, he goes, “See you in six years. Stay alive, yeah?” I was like, “Mate, do you realize how old we’ll be?” (laughs)

And now he released a new album “66” earlier this year, the day before his 66th birthday. That’s his 17th solo album in 32 years?

When I saw him in January, it got me thinking about our whole journey. My relationship with the Wellers, it’s like my relationship with the whole British music scene. Not just artists, but labels, managers, lawyers… I was getting all nostalgic about us both turning 66 soon, and then boom – he calls the album “66”! (laughs)

We only see each other for like two minutes when he tours Japan every few years. But in those moments, I’m right back on that amazing musical journey we shared. He’s still bursting with creativity, still has things he has to say, and his sound just keeps getting richer without losing its edge. Prince, whose releases I looked after, was another prolific artist born in the same year as us, but we lost him at age 57. No more new music from him. So I really hope Weller keeps making music his way. And me? I’ll keep trying to make things richer, in my way, in my neck of the woods until the next time I meet Paul again.

Order Paul Weller’s Fly On The Wall: B Sides & Rarities now.