Following those of Morrissey and Ian Brown, Wellerโ€™s Under The Influence is more surprising than his detractors might expect. Dead certs like Townshend and Marriott are absent for starters, though not so the irresistible Ray Davies (The Kinksโ€™ grimly satirical โ€œBig Black Smokeโ€).

Often dismissed as a mod stalwart, if nothing else, this confirms Wellerโ€™s eclectic ear for black music, from reggae (Big Youth) and soul (Marvin Gaye) to gospel and jazz (Coltrane and a particularly challenging Mingus jam).