Paul Weller has revealed a hair-raising story from his teenage years, recalling the time he was attacked by a lion while en route to a gig in Surrey in the 1970s.
The British musician, 67, explained that he was travelling to a show with his father’s friend Ronnie, who, unusually, kept a lion as a pet and would regularly bring it along for the ride.
Sharing the surreal encounter in a new interview with Uncut Magazine, he said: “So Ronnie would drive the van and the lion would sit in the passenger seat. You couldn’t get too comfortable, though.”
The artist explained that the lion, although not fully grown at the time, lashed out when a teenage Weller leaned forward from the back of the van.
He told the outlet: “You had to watch that, because one time, we were sitting in the back and I leant on the back of the passenger seat – next thing I know, the f***ing lion’s gone for me.
“I nearly s*** myself, man. Attacked by a lion!”
The incident took place during the early days of The Jam, the band Weller founded at just 14 years old.
But the ordeal didn’t end once they arrived at the gig, Weller still had to endure the journey home with Ronnie and the lion.
“Ronnie just dropped us off and came back later – with the lion, yeah,” he added.
Weller said his dad’s mate “kept [the lion] for a few years and then I think he had to give it up because it was getting too big”.
Weller rose to fame as co-founder of The Jam, which he formed in 1972 at the age of 14. The band shot to prominence in the late 1970s with hit albums In The City and This Is The Modern World, becoming icons of the British punk and mod revival scene.
His father, John, worked as a taxi driver and builder, while his mother, Ann, was a cleaner.
John passed away in 2009, and Weller shared the sad news that his mother Ann died just last week.
The Jam disbanded in 1982, after which Weller went on to front The Style Council before launching a successful solo career in 1990.
He’s remained a prolific touring artist ever since. His 18th solo album, Find the El Dorado, is set for release this Friday.
