Mark Ellen and David Hepworth have been talking about and writing about music together and individually for a collective eighty years in magazines like Smash Hi...
Robert Hilburn on the lifetime achievement of Randy Newman
He’s written some of the darkest entries in the American songbook but became world famous with a sunny celebration of friendship on the soundtrack of “Toy Story”. Inbetween can be found a staggering range of songs dealing with everything from short people to Vladimir Putin, from performing bears to the Louisiana Flood., from ELO to the Great Nations Of Europe, all of which show up in this authoritative new biography from Robert Hilburn, for years the rock writer of the Los Angeles Times. Topics touched on in his chat with David Hepworth: … when you called your book “A Few Words In Defense Of Our Country”, did you know it was coming out in Election week? … why Robert’s review of Elton John at the Troubadour in 1970 transformed the life of one piano player from Pinner while his review of Randy in the same same venue in the same year didn’t have the same effect on this local hero. … how Randy finds his inspiration by sitting in front of the TV with a big stack of hardback books. … what his famous uncles taught him and how he has spent a lifetime trying to follow their lead. … how he got his first break from Cilla Black, Alan Price and the British chart, … what he said when he finally got as Oscar after years of nominations. … why he can write quickly when commissioned but moves agonisingly slowly when relying on inspiration. … why he’s the only biographical subject to insist his children are interviewed. … what he thinks of Donald Trump.Order Robert’s book here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Few-Words-Defense-Our-Country/dp/1408720361Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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30:21
Peter Perrett of the Only Ones – teenage life, a wondrous return and a 35-year lost weekend.
After many years of invisibility, Peter Perrett of the Only Ones is out, about and on tour again and talks to us here about the first gigs he ever saw and played, which involves … … what time he goes to bed. … “he writes better lyrics than Elvis Costello and is prettier than Billy Idol”: why Nick Kent’s review was an insult. … seeing the Small Faces in 1966, the Floyd with Syd at Middle Earth, Dylan at the Isle of Wight, Fairport Convention, Geno Washington, Lou Reed in 1972 (“a hero”), Sex Pistols in 1975. … the Ally Pally Love-In in 1967 with Pink Floyd, the Animals, Julie Driscoll and Arthur Brown (“doing Alice Cooper five years before Alice Cooper”). … supporting Global Village Trucking Company at the Marquee in 1975 with Glenn Tilbrook and Jools Holland. … memories of Vivienne Westwood, the Bromley Contingent and leopardskin vinyl trousers. … the first gig he ever played, doing the Velvet Underground’s What Goes On with a four-string guitar at a college dance. … the tangled tale of Another Girl Another Planet. … “I never thought I’d retire at 28 and come back as a septuagenarian’. … the role reversal of being produced by your own son. … and how the Snow Station Vadsø festival in Norway – with Peter Buck, Lenny Kaye, Fritz Catlin and Mark Bedford – gave him the courage to go back on tour. Peter Perrett tour dates here:https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/peter-perrett-tickets/artist/5238432 Order his new album The Cleansing here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cleansing-Peter-Perrett/dp/B0DB8VMBDLFind out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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29:22
Does ‘celebrity endorsement’ still work? - and how Quincy Jones invented the blockbuster
Things this week that sent the needle into the red included … … the last dance craze the whole world noticed. ... “Rock stars used to be anti-establishment. Now they ARE the establishment.” … artworks, flags, bespoke I-Ching Coins … would YOU pay £1,350 for a box set? … why Quincy Jones made records like a movie director. ... how Dylan’s Biograph and Springsteen’s live box started a gold rush. … “an unprecedented event in popular recording". … Hot Night, Starlight, Give Me Some Time, Lights Out and other working titles for Thriller. … “We’re here to save the record business!” … the speed of the Beatles: two years between Ed Sullivan and Tomorrow Never Knows; two years from the Cavern to Shea Stadium. Plus birthday guest Phil Hopwood: moments in rock history you’d like to have witnessed to see what really happened.Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The genius of George Harrison and why he’s still underrated
The most streamed Beatles song – 700 million plays more than any other – is not by Lennon/McCartney but George who, as author Seth Rogovoy points out, is still widely considered “an economy-class Beatle” though his contributions were central to the success of their records. Seth’s new book ‘Within You Without You: Listening to George Harrison’ sets out to right this monstrous wrong! As does this conversation with the two of us which covers … … did My Sweet Lord’s court case puncture his sense of ambition? … how he changed Taxman for American audiences. … the statement made by starting All Things Must Pass with a Dylan/Harrison composition. … how he was fleeced by not one but two managers - Allen Klein and Denis O’Brien. … what we learnt from watching ‘Get Back’. … Broadway ballads, Vaudeville, jazz and the solo on ‘Til There Was You. … remortgaging Friar Park for Life Of Brian and pushing for the Anthology “payday”. … his glorious spiritual/material contradiction – “the Pisces sign is two fish going in opposite directions”. … a social mobility that John and Paul both envied. … falling out of love with live performance. … the beliefs of his early ‘20s he sustained all his life. … and the staples of George Harrison’s Jukebox. Order Seth’s book here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Within-You-Without-Listening-Harrison/dp/019762782XFind out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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39:55
Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds - his Year Zero moment, Imposter Syndrome and seeing the Beatles (aged 7)
Ian Broudie and the Lightning Seeds are about to set out on their 35th Anniversary Greatest Hits Tour – aka “beery parties”. He talks to us here about the first bands he ever saw and played in, which involves … … memories of the Liverpool School of Language, Music, Dream and Pun. … the secret of seeming enigmatic: “Never finish your sentences …” … how Three Lions brought a whole new audience and the irony of a singer who didn’t front his biggest hit. … why the Ramones and Talking Heads made him sell his old records. … first requirement for success: “being able to make a fool of yourself”. … when Captain Beefheart forgot he was booked for an art show and painted all the pictures the night before. … how a part in a Ken Campbell play launched his career. … seeing the Beatles, aged seven – “Shut your eyes and put your fingers in your ears”. … when Eric’s in Mathew Street seemed the centre of the universe. … “for the first time ever I’m not suffering from Imposter Syndrome – I AM THE SINGER!” … Free, Pink Floyd, Elvis Costello, XTC, Big In Japan and the Sausages From Mars. … making records that are “an Andy Warhol pop-art splash of colour on a wall”. Lightning Seeds tickets here:https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/lightning-seeds-tickets/artist/735512Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mark Ellen and David Hepworth have been talking about and writing about music together and individually for a collective eighty years in magazines like Smash Hits, Mojo and The Word and on radio and TV programmes like "Rock On", "Whistle Test" and VH-1.Over thirteen years ago, when working on the late magazine The Word, they began producing podcasts. Some listeners have been kind enough to say these have been very special to them. When the magazine folded in 2012 they kept the spirit of those podcasts alive in regular Word In Your Ear evenings in which they spoke to musicians and authors in front of an audience. Over these years they've produced hundreds of hours of material. As of the Current Unpleasantness of 2020, they've produced yet hundreds of hours more with a little help from guests kind enough to digitally show them around their attics such as Danny Baker, Andy Partridge, Sir Tim Rice and Mark Lewisohn. For the full span of the Word In Your Ear world, visit wiyelondon.com. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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