Word In Your Ear

The Word helicopter takes off from just the battlements of Graeme Thomson’s castle in Edinburgh, hugs the coastline on its way south, dropping off at the massive Victorian folly occupied by Mark Hodkinson on the borders or Yorkshire and Lancashire and then makes a detour into Berkshire where it lands on the vast rolling lawns of John Naughton’s massive country seat. Finally it hovers over Cast Iron Studios in Caledonian Road to record two tunes and some chat with The Miserable Rich. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a seasonal departure from our usual routine we bring you at this special time the voices of some of our valued contributors from all over the country, picking the books, DVDs and records that they have found most interesting this year. In this first instalment David Hepworth talks to Jim Irvin, Andrew Collins and Jude Rogers. In addition we've got The Rifles in the pod, performing songs from and talking about their new album Long Walk Home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry range across: a star-studded carol service, what Verdi could do that Dylan couldn't, and story of "Wally!" In addition Kate Mossman joins us to talk to folkie Jackie Oates who also plays a couple of songs from her new record "Saturnine". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we welcome to the pod Renaissance Man, art rock avatar, club pioneer, movie actor and very tall man Richard Strange. As Kid Strange he fronted the 70s rock band the Doctors of Madness, who were supported by everyone from the Sex Pistols to Joy Division. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast: the legit release of the Rolling Stones’ “Brussels Affair”, the things that Jimmy Savile did and did not do, Paul Du Noyer remembering Jackie Leven, your misinterpreted songs thread, Fraser explaining why he features on a Guns N’Roses b-side, the Black Sabbath reunion(s) and a couple of songs from Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nile Rodgers enters the pod to talk us through his story: the man who created the only triple platinum single in the history of Atlantic Records, led Chic through the ups and downs of disco and went on to produce Diana Ross, David Bowie, Duran Duran and Madonna. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Gill joins us to recount the full story of The Beach Boys' Smile, recounting Brian Wilson's odd partnership with the ever-voluble Van Dyke Parks, the stubbornness and luxuriant chest hair of Mike Love, the underwater misadventures of Dennis Wilson, the often misrepresented Dr Eugene Landy and the trans-Atlantic battle for supremacy between the former Pendletons and the Beatles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sitting in the home studio where he recorded the vocals for Fairy Tale Of New York, Steve Lillywhite talks about working with Eddie & The Hot Rods, the Pretenders, U2, Simple Minds, Brian Eno and Jared Leto and almost everybody else. He also advances his case as the judge that American Idol really needs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Hepworth and Mark Ellen remember the Tom Hibbert cookery course, talk about what was in the George Harrison film and what should have been in it, what Tony Bennett does that rock bands don't and the correct way to pronounce Yngwie Malmsteen. Plus we're announcing how you'll be able to get the full podcast in future only if you're a subscriber to the magazine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our own Andrew Harrison and celebrated food photographer Patrice de Villiers join us to talk about Love Music Love Food: The Rock Star Cookbook, a mammoth undertaking published in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. It features the likes of Brett Anderson, Noel Gallagher, Mick Hucknall, Cliff Richard, Tinie Tempah, Paul Weller and many others talking about and being photographed with their favourite food. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined in the pod by author Jonathan Coe, he of The Rotter's Club. We talk prog in riveting detail, look back at his days as a rock hack at The Wire, explain the use of music in Billy Wilder movies, and hear a a newly recorded track from his reformed college loungecore act The Peer Group. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined in the pod by two card-carrying Bowie experts – Peter Doggett - author of the superb new book "The Man Who Sold The World: David Bowie And The ‘70" and Word’s long-serving associate editor Paul Du Noyer. On the way we learn Bowie’s tortuously complicated childhood, his unproduced rock opera, the lost recordings and the four times Paul got to interview him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rhodri Marsden visits us in the cupboard to talk about his "40 Noises That Built Pop" feature, to reveal how some of the sounds in the list were arrived at and the instruments that gave birth to them. Also up for discussion: Rhodri's first date hell Twitter sensation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Mossman joins us in the pod to talk about being obsessed with Queen when her classmates were into Nirvana, and how you can never assume that young people go along with what their generation appears to be going along with. Plus: is picking the music for your own funeral the poor man's Desert Island Discs? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thomas Dolby joins us to talk about working with Trevor Horn, David Bowie, Prefab Sprout and Joni Mitchell; operating as musical director of TED, spending an evening at Michael Jackson's, making money through polyphonic ringtones and just generally trying to do things in a different way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Ford joins us in the podcast to talk about his terrific new book, I Choose This, which proves there's no success like failure, and to reveal how Jeff Buckley's influence on an entire generation of musicians wasn't entirely benign. Also: Kate Mossman introduces Amy LaVere. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jude Rogers and Kate Mossman join us in the podcast to talk about the short life and sad death of Amy Winehouse. Also in this edition: our Sunday afternoon cruise down the Thames with Neil Finn & C.W. Stoneking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our final Latitude recording: Andrew Harrison is joined by Stuart Maconie and Louise Wener to look back at Britpop: why it happened, what is was like, and where it all went wrong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robin Ince joins us in the Word lounge to talk about Mills & Boon and why Robert Smith should never be a crowd marshall, and the chaps from They Might Be Giants talk to David Hepworth and answer audience questions about set lists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third of this year's Latitude podcasts, Absolute Radio's Geoff Lloyd talks David Hepworth and Mark Ellen through the pain of losing his record collection and reveals a genuine piece of backsgage gossip, and we hear from I Am Kloot and C.W. Stoneking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of a few podcasts recorded in the Word "Lounge" at Latitude, Britain's premier poet Simon Armitage talks to Mark Ellen and David Hepworth about why Bob Dylan is not actually a poet, and K.T. Tunstall talks about the challenges of playing festivals and her time as Anne Frank. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 40 Noises That Made Pop, our upcoming riverboat cruise featuring C.W. Stoneking and his Primitive Horn Orchestra, what's going on in The Word Lounge at this weekend's Latitude Festival, and the great John Hiatt joins David Hepworth to talk and sing songs from his new album. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by Peter Doggett, author of "You Never Give Me Your Money" to discuss discuss what the Beatles wanted after the Beatles, why they could never get it, and how the four young men who shook the world turned into four middle-aged men who had to deal with the aftermath. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast Tony Wadsworth reviews his career at EMI, from the days when older employees still recalled visits from "Mr Lennon" through the reformation of the Parlophone label and the high noon of Britpop to 360-degree deals with Robbie Williams up to the uncertain future faced by traditional record labels today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suede's Brett Anderson clambers into the pod with Andrew Harrison and Eamonn Forde to discuss the band's successful return, how rehearsals can be difficult when your drummer lives in Thailand, why locking your 17-year-old guitarist in a room until he comes up with a song is a good idea, and the truth about the small role played by Ricky Gervais. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danny Baker returns to the pod – with David Hepworth and Mark Ellen – having just got “the green light” after months of particularly unsavoury hospitalisation. Discover how he celebrated this news, marvel at his rant against the "pinheads, nitwits and souless creeps" at the BBC, and remembers John Mayall’s tight-fitting loin-cloth and his almost-encounter with Bob Dylan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adrift in the pod this week are Mark Ellen, Kate Mossman and Fraser Lewry, who discuss a night out at Desert Island Discs, interviews that went wrong, and take Qs from The Massive about 100 issues of Word. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now Bob Dylan's seventy so it seems only decent to dedicate a podcast to him, his enduring fascination and his work. In this we're joined by Andy Gill, our resident Dylan scholar, author of Bob Dylan: Stories Behind The Songs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The magnificent Van Dyke Parks enters the pod to deliver wry and extremely fond and funny memories of working with Grace Kelly, Alec Guinness, Randy Newman, Brian Wilson, Joanna Newsom and his brief membership of Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Tennant joins the Word podcast where he reminisces about the days when he was "Doctor Bitz", talks about the most ridiculous things the Pet Shop Boys have been asked to do, discloses why they're going on tour with Take That, reveals the name of the best song ever written and answers some of your questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's 'cast features guest appearance from Delta Maid, who talks to Mark Ellen and Kate Mossman about how you can get the blues in Liverpool, and Daniel Tashian, the leader of The Silver Seas from Nashville, Tennessee, described by Danny Baker this week as "the best band in the world." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Lowe on meeting Keith Moon, Ringo Starr and Harry Nilsson and recalling – in agonising detail – the moment the fresh-out-of-jail Keith Richards joined Rockpile at New York’s Bottom Line. Includes “World Premiere” performance of a new Nick Lowe tune! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janice Long, Jude Rogers and Andrew Harrison convene in the pod to discuss Top Of The Pops, that Michael Jackson statue, and the t-shirts of rock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christian Ward joins us this week to discuss what happened to singers who can enunciate, work out what the deuce Elton John is singing about in "Sacrifice", talk about the links between British pop and comedy, remember Pinetop Perkins and Elizabeth Taylor and answer your questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ian McMillan joins us in the pod to talk about: playing John Cage’s silence on Desert Island Discs, the only way to be a football supporter and stay sane, the lyrics of Pete Sinfield and the usefulness of being able to make that whistling sound between your teeth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pete Paphides joins David Hepworth and Mark Ellen in the pod with a load of old music papers. It's all here: bad puns, mistaken critical judgements, and momentous news announcements tucked away at the bottom of the page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Collins drops in to help kick around a few thoughts about comedians doing karaoke, the new Radiohead album, whether Krautrock would be more popular if it had happened 40 years later, and tips for the Oscars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen, Fraser Lewry and David Hepworth on the effective apartheid between the r&b and folkie factions currently making up British pop, why British acts can't make speeches, and why people hate Mumford & Sons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rob Fitzpatrick talks about meeting Elton John in the flesh, Roy Wilkinson describes his father's role in the family business, which is British Sea Power, and we talk to people who worked with Gary Moore, who died last weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry wonder whether anybody is really heartbroken when bands break up, wonder what a Wichita Lineman does and why bands pick such uncommercial names, and answer your questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry on Iron Maiden: Flight 666, your questions, class and pop, "Seventies" Mike Johnson's fiendishly difficult rock and roll spelling test and the drumming genius of Keith Moon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry chew on the big topics de jour: is rock dead? And did the 80s kill proper music? Plus, David Hepworth comes up with a list of great records made in that unjustly maligned decade. Warning: contains an unexpected intrusion and a controversial opinion about Morrissey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Hepworth, Mark Ellen and Fraser Lewry feature in the first podcast of 2011 which includes: Captain Beefheart remembered and mis-remembered, the likelihood of anyone with four drawers devoted to sunglasses finding room in their lives for a child, the terrible choice between Spandau Ballet versus Duran Duran and why Richard Thompson really should be cast in any remake of "It Ain"t Half Hot Mum". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest was snowed in and so David Hepworth, Mark Ellen and Fraser Lewry sort out previously unfinished business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by Will "Wiiill" Macdonald, who talksl about his time as the producer of TFI Friday at the height of Britpop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Fraser Lewry review last week's brilliant "Word In Your Ear" gig, report back from viewings of Bruce Springsteen's "The Promise" and Rush's "Beyond The Lighted Stage". Plus Matt Priest talks to the Charlatans' Jon Brookes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Kate Mossman and Mark Ellen in the pod is songwriter and session guitarist Darrell Scott, currently touring as a member of Robert Plant's band. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Hepworth talks to Jac Holzman, who signed Judy Collins, Tom Paxton, Love, The Doors, the Incredible String Band, Carly Simon and The Stooges, on the occasion of Elektra's 60th anniversary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dougie Anderson joins Mark Ellen and David Hepworth in the pod to mount a stout defence of Belle and Sebastian, Alex Harvey, John Gordon Sinclair and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Devon Sproule and Paul Curreri join Mark Ellen and David Hepworth in the pod, while David talks to the men at De Wolde music about the joys of production music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.