Word In Your Ear

Howard Sounes has already written revelatory biographies of Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney. Most recently he’s turned his attention to Lou Reed. In Notes from the Velvet Underground he recounts the extraordinary life and career of one of rock’s most memorably irascible characters, someone who occasionally pulled a gun on even close friends and allies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elvis Costello joins us to talk about his blockbusting memoir "Unfaithful Music And Disappearing Ink". The conversation takes in such vital issues as: growing up in a house full of acetates and publishers demos, the reason The Attractions ran on to the stage in 1977, Nick Kent’s tackle on display in the garden of the pub opposite Island Records, playing support to the Natural Acoustic Band in 1971, listening to the radio in the 60s, what he learned from Burt Bacharach and why the White House is the ideal place to play “Penny Lane”. Cheers, Elvis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Hepworth and Mark Ellen talk bout Tracey Thorn’s Naked At The Albert Hall: The Inside Story Of Singing and John Seabrook’s The Song Machine: Inside The Hit Factory via the miracle of Skype. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Cavanagh, the author of “Good Night and Good Riddance: How Thirty-Five Years Of John Peel Help Shape Modern Britain”, and Trevor Dann, WIYE’s go-to guy on all matters radio, talk about John Peel: his radio style, his complicated personality, his contribution to the national heritage and where he would be broadcasting today if he were still around. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Salewicz joined us to talk about “Dead Gods: The 27 Club” which deals with the rock stars who never got past their twenty-seventh birthday. His list includes: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse and others. What they all had in common was a family background not as happy as you would like and a sub-conscious fear of dealing with adult life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WIYE McCartney Special. Paul Du Noyer, who’s interviewed him more than anyone (much of which is reflected in his new book, “Conversations With McCartney), and Laura Barton, who need her cat after him, discuss a national institution with Mark Ellen and David Hepworth. Best look, best song, best story, it’s all here, including the answer to the perennial question - what was Paul McCartney’s best song for The Beatles? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Woodroffe is the world's foremost live show lighting designer. He's the man the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and many others ask for by name. He's been behind some of the most ambitious and technically demanding stage presentations, from vast crowds on Copacabana Beach to a world TV audience for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. He talked to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about his work in front of an audience at the Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Doggett is one of the most respected authors in the music field, with highly-praised works devoted to David Bowie and the Beatles to his name. Here he talks to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about his magnum opus “Electric Shock”, a panoramic history of popular music from the gramophone to the iPhone. This was recorded in front of an audience at the Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mick Wall has been a leading light of rock journalism at the heavier end for over thirty years, playing an important role in the development of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses and many others. Here he talks to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about his experiences, as recorded in his new book “Getcha Rocks Off”. This was recorded in front of an audience at the Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 30th anniversary of the day four people who were there — Janice Long, Dylan Jones, Mark Ellen and David Hepworth — talk about what it was like, how it didn't quite happen as planned, how people and press reacted at the time and what it changed about music and media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of our oldest pals talks about Altered Images, Gregory's Girl, the joys of the oldies circuit and how motherhood led her to write Tallulah and the Teen Stars, the latest in a series of Young Adult books about the adventures of thinly-disguised versions of Smash Hits favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special Word In Your Era recording the UK's most legendary disc jockey talks to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about playing records on the radio in the 70s, about sneaking Lou Reed up Auntie's skirt, avoiding the Bay City Rollers and going to an authentic record company sponsored orgy. Happy days. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen and David Hepworth talk to Johnny Rogan, biographer of Morrissey and Van Morrison, about Ray Davies, the subject of his latest book, “A Complicated Life”. Recorded at the Islington in front of an audience at Word In Your Ear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry talk to “Magic” Alex Gold about his playing ukulele in Alaska, schlepping the length and breadth of Britain to play to one man and Fido and learning the entire repertoire of the Rolling Stones in just one day. Plus: Tidal, Rick Buckler, the unquiet life of AC/DC and how to leave your records in your will. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rick Buckler was the drummer of The Jam. His book "That's Entertainment" tells the story of how a teenage covers band from Woking became Britain's most popular group of the late 70s and early 80s, how it all came to an end and the likelihood of it being started again. He talked about it to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth at a Word In Your Ear event at the Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Goldstein was the world's first rock critic. He wrote the "Popeye" column for the Village Voice during the British invasion of New York, rubbing shoulders with the Stones, Dylan, Janis Joplin and Brian Wilson. His book "Another Little Piece Of My Heart" is a unique record of a tumultuous era seen up-close. He talked about it to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth at Word In Your Ear is Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Norman Jopling worked for Record Mirror in the 60s. He wrote the first story about the Rolling Stones, he took competition winners to meet the Beatles on the set of Help!, he saw the arrival of a new world at the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1969. His book "Shake It Up Baby!" is a vivid diary of that frenetic decade. He talked about it to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth at Word In Your Ear is Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen and David Hepworth talk to founder members of Fairport Convention Ashley Hutchings and Simon Nicol about Sandy Denny, the subject of "I've Always Had A Unicorn", a new biography by Mick Houghton. Recorded in front of an audience at the Slaughtered Lamb in Clerkenwell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the day Bob Dylan's album "Shadows In The Night" was released, top Dylan interpreter Barb Jungr and musician and writer Sid Griffin, talked to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about how they first came to Bob Dylan, their favourite Dylan look, their favourite album and song and what it is about his music that keeps them coming back. This was recorded in front of a live audience. You'll just have to imagine the pictures. Next time make sure you're there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen and David Hepworth talk to Mark Billingham and Martyn Waites about Great Lost Albums which celebrates some of the records which you may not have actually heard but surely nonetheless exist in some fold of rock’s rich tapestry. We’re talking of course of David Icke & Tina Turner’s collaboration, the first Velvet Underground and Lulu album and Bob Dylan’s legendary collaboration with Liberace. This was recorded in front of an audience at the Islington in London’s swinging Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen and David Hepworth talk to Richard Balls, the author of Be Stiff: The Stiff Records Story about that label’s unique contribution to the iconography, lore and humour of the British record scene. Plus Mark Lewisohn pauses in the middle of the sisyphean task of writing his mammoth history of the Beatles to tell us how he’s getting on. This was recorded in front of an audience at the Islington in London’s swinging Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Frith and Sylvia Patterson join Mark Ellen and David Hepworth to remember Britain's brightest - includes extremely rare 1982 Christmas flex. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part of Danny Baker’s epic November performance at The Islington in which he talked about his new book “Going Off Alarming”. Believe it or not, Mark Ellen and David Hepworth are in there as well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which Mark Ellen, Fraser Lewry and David Hepworth consider U2's album, the rum work done in the name of the "rock doc" and the proper duties of a household cat Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zoe Howe, author of a new book about Stevie Nicks, talks to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth in front of an audience at the Islington. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an interview recorded in front of an audience at The Islington, Ben Watt talks to David Hepworth and Mark Ellen about "Romany and Tom", his acclaimed memoir of his parents, and his award winning solo album "Hendra". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Legendary artist manager, entrepreneur and speaker on all things music business Simon Napier-Bell talks to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about his new book “Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay” (the dodgy business of popular music) in front of a packed house at The Islington. Includes: Lottie Collins, Wham, Irvin Berlin, The Beatles, Japan, the Yardbirds, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, One Direction, Pet Shop Boys and just about everybody else in the music business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Includes: world debut of enthralling new parlour game Rock Poker; Neil Finn’s Two-Way Family Favourites; the two tribes of Adam Ant Nation; Justin Timberlake’s moveable feast; why long-form TV is a sinister plot to steal our lives; a pathetic attempt to read a whole paragraph of Mark Ellen’s book “Rock Stars Stole My Life” without laughing; plusuncalled for interjections from Fraser Lewry’s amazing wi-fi rabbit and your questions answered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 2014: Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry convene over cakes to discuss: why all rock docs are legally bound to feature Bono, the touching story of Harry Nilsson's last marriage, what Jimi Hendrix really got up to in Marrakesh, whether Ginger Baker is in fact a bit of a bore, Fraser's day trip to North Korea and the book what Mark wrote. And Vikings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Men kicking stars! Smoking on TV! Having to introduce music you didn't like! Getting picked on in public! All this and more in our Whispering Bobcast in which the great man plays 70s Rock Bingo, recalls cramped sessions with the Wailers in tiny continuity studios, the years when he couldn't go out for fear of being set upon by punk rockers, his memories of eating celery with Van Dyke Parks and making friends with John Lennon, his sacking from Radio One, his re-hiring by Radio Two and the launch of a new compilation of live sessions from Old Grey Whistle Test. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by Jude Rogers and Eamonn Forde to kick around the following subjects: the stylistic chasm between Grace Jones and Ed Sheeran at the Jubilee concert, the desirability of Macca finishing with Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, whether Madness playing Our House on top of the Palace was the most spectacular bit of staging ever seen at a pop show, what we have learned from Twitter about Nick Heyward, Richard Coles and "the girls side of the playground", the sounds and smells our children will never know and the big question - do records smell? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined in the pod by Chas Hodges, who you'll know from such hits as "Gertcha" and "Ain't No Pleasing You". But you ought to also know him from his time in Joe Meek's house band, his stint on tour with the Beatles as a member of Cliff Bennett's Rebel Rousers, his time with pioneering country-rock band Heads, Hands and Feet and his manifold and honourable contributions to sessions galore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Graham Gouldman wrote For Your Love for The Yardbirds, Bus Stop for The Hollies, Tallyman for Jeff Beck, No Milk Today for Herman's Hermits and I"m Not In Love and lots of others for 10cc. He has worked with Kirsty MacColl, Kasenetz-Katz, Andrew Gold, Gary Barlow, The Ramones, Mickie Most, John Paul Jones, Neil Sedaka and the Manchester City FA Cup squad of 1972. He's got a new record coming out called Love & Work. You think we ran out of things to talk about? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chaz Jankel - co-author of Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Sweet Gene Vincent and Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - looks back at the rollicking rise of the Blockheads, and Derek "The Draw" Hussey contemplates Ian Dury, the man whose shoes he fills in the current Blockheads line-up. Contains their charming performance of A Little Knowledge, the greatest piece of music recording in Word podcast history, we're saying. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Mossman, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry go through John Peel's Record Collection and ponder what you can tell about personality type from flicking through anyone's accumulated spines. We also wonder whether Alabama Shakes anxiety indicates the impossibility of trying to like things just because other people do, discuss rock's vanishing instruments, and attempt to come up with preferable alternatives to the big Duran Duran/Stereophonics/Paolo Nutini/Snow Patrol Olympic showdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last week we've welcomed three authors into the pod: Stanley Booth went on the road and down to Muscle Shoals with the Rolling Stones in 1969 and eventually wrote all about it in the ultimate access all areas on tour book, The True Adventures of The Rolling Stones; Paul Charles is one of the UK's leading live music agents and he's also the author of The Last Dance, a new novel set against the background of the Irish showband scene of the 60s; Andrew Martin is a journalist and author who's taken his fascination with railways of all kinds into fiction as well as fact. His new book is Underground Overground, a passenger's history of the tube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This bumper edition covers: the only other person called Levon, why celebrities always feel the need to put one over on interviewers in public forums, who Record Store Day is supposed to be benefiting, the upsides and downsides of travelling in south-east Asia and podcasts about farming and Shakespeare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things we've been talking about this week include the great NME mis-selling scandal of the 90s, the grisly details of MC Hammer's 1998 bankruptcy, and the days when you could see Neil Young and have enough change to buy a bag of chips on the way home. Also: Pugwash drop in to talk about getting fan mail from Jeff Lynne and play a song from their new album, and we discuss an amazing documentary called Dreams Of A Life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latitude and Reading/Leeds promoter Melvin Benn remembers his first event - an anti-Thatcher gig in ’79 - while elsewhere there’s the unadulterated chaos of Axl Rose and girlfriend at Reading (the festival he helped save from bankruptcy), memories of Nirvana, the time he and Michael Eavis defended Worthy Farm against anarchists with petrol bombs, and the revelation that promoters can “play God” with the weather conditions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry debate whether there really is such a thing as a ropey Beatles record, the best food they've ever had at a gig, and the ethics of flying in samples during live performances. Plus Mike Doughty, talking about his career and his extraordinary memoir The Book Of Drugs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK’s premier crime-thriller writer Mark Billingham enters the pod and subjects his obsessions to forensic enquiry - among them The Smiths, Genesis, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams. There’s some sound advice – "if you get caught shoplifting, at least nick something fashionable". There’s his four minutes dancing onstage with Elvis Costello and the time Morrissey let him to use some Smiths lyrics in one of his novels. And the fatwa from furious Phil Collins supporters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk about great unexpected shows. David Hepworth goes to see Randy Newman and finds himself sitting behind some people who are clinically incapable of resisting the temptation to talk. Plus Green Gartside and Rhodri Marsden of Scritti Politti drop in to sing a couple of songs and talk about buying old Little Feat albums in the 70s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The wildly prolific songwriter – and leader of The Soft Boys, Egyptians, Venus 3 and, currently, The Floating Palace collective – tackles life’s big issues. Such as why The Beatles were doomed as solo projects, the magic twin poles of the Syd Barrett lyric method, and the rigours of playing an entire set of David Bowie classics. Plus some riveting stuff on the ‘78 gig circuit and the Battle Of The Somme. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nige Tassell comes up from Somerset and (fatally) brings us something to drink. Before it takes effect we cover the following stuff: David Hepworth wonders why the best venues for rock and roll are always the ones built long before rock and roll was ever thought of. We ask when did school choirs start singing Adele songs and is this entirely a good idea? We have a quick chat and a song from Band Of Skulls, and Nige shares some of his most treasured old cassettes with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On February 27th Eliza Carthy plays the pub across the road in one of our Word In Your Ear series of live shows. In this special shortcast she tells David Hepworth what kind of music was playing in the house when she was growing up, how she had a thing for Rick Astley and how her boyfriend made her give her Barbies away to the charity shop. Bastard. A few tickets for the show, which features Eliza plus full five piece band, supported by Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo plus Left With Pictures, are still available. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast has lots in it: Mark Ellen taking a blunt instrument to his phone, the debt Madonna’s half-time Superbowl show owed to Elizabeth Taylor’s quiet entrance into Rome in the movie Cleopatra, the feminizing of pop, the people who’ve made more than one great album, how we know Lady Gaga isn’t a real blonde and the likelihood of a movement like punk getting swallowed up by Facebook. Plus a visit from Dodgy to talk up their new record Stand Upright In A Cool Place, Fraser’s recipe for a warming soup and the cat on the pitch at Anfield. Should be enough to get you home through the snow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast features interviews with two fascinating guests: Nick Coleman talks to David Hepworth about his excellent new book The Train in The Night, which touches on all kinds of things: why boys feel the need to define themselves by their tastes, what it’s like listening to a Nazareth album with your dad, how the brain eventually rewires itself to make up for the information it’s missing and the fact that people like us actually have far more records in our heads than even the biggest jukeboxes. We’ve also been visited by Yolanda Quartey, the sensational singer with Bristol’s Phantom Limb, whose new album The Pines is out now and who will be featured in the CD with the next issue. She brought with her a couple of live recordings made especially for the Word podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In celebration of James Medd’s stupendous piece in Word 108 on the secret world of the bass guitarist, Medd and Mark Ellen present a podcast with session wizard and bon viveur Guy Pratt – who tells tales of working with Pink Floyd, The Smiths, Jimmy Page, the dictatorial Madonna and David Coverdale (who he impersonates immaculately). And explains the correct pronunciation of “Whitesnake” and how he did a Sophie Ellis-Bextor hit in 17 minutes. He also peels off the world’s greatest bottom lines on the office bass guitar. Our story starts on an aeroplane piloted by Floyd drummer Nick Mason experiencing strange and artificial turbulence... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Cowley dropped by the office the other day to talk about the Neil Cowley Trio, their new album The Face Of Mount Molehill, his time as a sideman with everyone from The Pasadenas to the Brand New Heavies, his part in the musical career of Sue Perkins and how the best place to learn to play jazz is in your local garden centre. We liked him so much we’ve put it out as a short podcast on its own. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We celebrate 200 editions of the Word Podcast in the room upstairs in The King and Queen in Foley Street, W1, scene of Bob Dylan's first ever appearance in the UK. Subjects covered included: the on and off wedding arrangements of Sinead O'Connor; Kate Mossman being pursued the house Benny Hill-style by Kevin Ayers and Fraser's legendary misdirection of the Princess Of Wales. The audience lines up to compete in our legendary Rock and Roll Spelling test and plays thirty seconds of a rock classic on an unusual instrument. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.