ABSTRACT
The Cambridge Dictionary definition of Idiolect refers to ‘The form of language that a particular person speaks’. Reflecting this, the chapter on idiolect seeks to provide insight into how Paul Weller uses music and words to communicate and convey meaning. Since listening and curation inform Weller's idiolect, the chapter explores resonances and influences upon the work, and how they are integrated. Both direct and refracted, all artists are subject to influences, and the range of Weller's musical influences is vast. Some are acknowledged by Weller himself and others are perhaps subconsciously filtered, or accidental. In considering Paul Weller's creative impetus, it is important to acknowledge that the extent of his role in the realisation of his songs as recordings is subject to ongoing variation. Depending on the division of labour, those surrounding the artist contribute to the phenomenal form of the text, and consequently those roles are identified and discussed. Using analysis and metanarrative provided by the artist, this chapter explores how Weller finds and shapes his music over time.
