THE JAM WERE THE RUNTS WHO BECAME KINGS. Initially derided by New Wavers for being uncool suburbanites, Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler unexpectedly proceeded to fulfil every promise ever made by punk as they took social protest and cultural authenticity to the top of the charts. The three-piece from Woking, Surrey racked up 18 hits, among them the timeless likes of In the City, Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, Going Underground and Town Called Malice. Their classic albums included Setting Sons and Sound Affects. Yet their musical excellence was only the half of it: they prided themselves on remaining accessible to their fans, disdaining Americanisation and spurning commercial compromise. Although it was a blow to their army of followers, their split at the end of 1982 was hailed as the perfect illustration of their integrity: a bowing out at the top, regardless of financial temptation. Their story, though, was more complicated and sometimes less honourable than how it appeared from the outside, with the group's vaunted values contrasted by private recrimination and duplicity. Sean Egan has spoken to a raft of insiders to provide the definitive Jam biography. Via access to recording producers, music label staff and all three members of the Jam, he has uncovered the full truth about a remarkable band.