What's a good starting point with these guys? I'm dangerously out of touch.

All I have is In The City, but I really like it.

There is a comp out there called "SNAP!" that is the best intro. Buy it immediately.

The only album I have is "All Mod Cons" and I'm hard pressed to not recommend it as a starting point as well. Brilliant.

I bought their box set Direction, Reaction, Creation as a starting point which was probably a bit much as an intro (outside of random songs). Any of the three mentioned above would be good.

Tend to agree with Derris on this. Snap! is a good intro comp although because its so wide ranging if you get into The Jam there will be less new stuff to hear if you decide to pick up the individual albums. If that's something that would bother you they have a Greatest Hits comp which sticks to the singles in chronological order.

All Mod Cons is probably their best studio album. Their development as a ban was the classic bell curve - not so great at the beginning, peak in the middle, dropped off at the end, so I'd concentrate on the mid period albums first. Others may disagree with that analysis though.

Oh and Paul Weller is a weasel faced cunt.

I'm one that doesn't agree with this. Their mid-period albums may be the best, but the first couple albums are great, if you ask me. Much more raw than their later work, but the albums are full of great tunes.

I tend to agree about a compilation if you're looking for on overall picture of the band, but if you want a "proper" album, I'd start at the beginning with In The City.

I'm with Stone on this one..."In The City" is great--easily a top five when I was in high school, and the band was solid right through "Sound Affects".

If "Snap!" is still in print, grab that...it was unavailable for the longest time, with early CD pressings going for a hundred bucks.

The singles comp would also be worth it because there are some awesome b-sides in their catalogue--really, the only place you don't want to start is "The Gift".

While on this note, check out Stiff Little Fingers' recent albums, beginning with "Get A Life" and "Tinderbox"...vastly under-rated records that feature Bruce Foxton on bass.

Did anyone ever do a tenner of The Jam, and whatever happened to that project?

Yeah, get Snap!, the full version not Compact Snap. Then fall in love with them and buy everything else. Snap! has a bunch of singles not on the albums anyway so it ill be good to have even after you get the rest.