

Word In Your Ear
Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Alex Gold
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 6, 2021 • 56min
What pop music will still be around in 200 years' time?
In which we applaud Paul Simon's light-fingered songwriting skills, delight in the fake Roxy Music rejection letter, trace the origins of rock's black uniform (which Keith Richards reckons has it roots in cowboy movies), discover powerful new chemical benefits from being in bands, reveal the Spandau Ballet hit based on If I Had A Hammer, hear Philip Roth's advice to an aspiring novelist and play rock band or children's entertainment option (Angry Beavers?).Want exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast - and in full audio-visual glory! - alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 29, 2021 • 44min
"It ain’t 'alf been a gas this time!"
In which we play theatrical moments from great live albums - Humble Pie, ELP, the Stones, James Brown, Sinatra & Count Basie, Free, the Who, the Allman Brothers ("Whipping Post!") - relive the wit and wisdom of James Blunt on Twitter, examine the raw agony of having a rock star as a parent (warning: Eve Hewson's Bono story involves public dancing to the Backstreet Boys in a dressing-gown) and reveal whose tour rider includes "oxygen tanks and a doctor available to give mid-set B-12 injections".Want exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast - and in full audio-visual glory! - alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 25, 2021 • 42min
A 1971 Special on Nick Drake and Led Zeppelin at the Nottingham Boat Club
In which we're joined by old pal Trevor Dann who was one of the 200 people sitting on the floor of the Nottingham Boat Club 50 years ago hearing the unreleased Stairway To Heaven ("maximum volume as it was on the river and there were no houses next door"). Plus memories of Nick Drake in 1971 (Trevor wrote the memoir Darker Than The Deepest Sea) - the underwhelming live shows, the mistakes on his album sleeves, the family tensions, why his legend is still expanding and what he might be doing if he was still with us today. And ... the Stack Waddy game: real or fake Half Man Half Biscuit tracks (Eamonn Holmes Under The Hammer?) and Indie Rock Band or lower league football team? @TrevorDannTrevor's excellent Nick Drake memoir ...https://www.amazon.co.uk/Darker-Than-Deepest-Sea-Search/dp/0749951338Want exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast - and in full audio-visual glory! - alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 15, 2021 • 48min
The enduring magic of the mixtape
In which we relive the joys of cassette mixtape pop snobbery, discover a rock star's mum who was a WW2 secret agent, name the best songs about mothers, salute Tony "Ian Faith" Hendra RIP and his part in Spinal Tap (and his National Lampoon gags eg 'Yoko Is A Concept By Which We Measure our Pain'), note the coded messages in Dylan's 'Bringing It All Back Home' sleeve and play 'Lee Perry Tune or Item of Jamaican Cuisine?'Want exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast - and in full audio-visual glory! - alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 8, 2021 • 57min
The undignified history of the Ponytail In Rock
In which we salute Chris Barber and Bunny Wailer, listen to Robert Fripp's £80-a-pop personal message service, marvel at the Kings Of Leon's new crypto-currency, relive the agony of the Bob Harris vinyl flood, wonder if Bob Weir's was the only decent rock ponytail, reconnect with the Drifters, Lonnie Donegan and Lewis Taylor ("the great undiscovered jewel of 20th C popular music"), and play 'Van Morrison song or Richard Littlejohn headline?', 'Oasis track or children's book?' and '50s wrestler or member of the Bonzo Dog Band?'.Want exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast (and in full audio-visual glory!) alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 1, 2021 • 1h 1min
Happy 50th, Nick Drake and the Stones 'farewell' tour!
In which we try the Obama/Springsteen pod, view astonishing footage of Sinatra recording in 1965, watch films we've never seen (eg "Life Of Brian" - merchandise at the stoning scene? "Two rocks and a bag of gravel"), remember the Stones' satin-clad tax-dodging flit to the south of France, applaud the greatest one-man albums ever made, and play 'Children's book or rare psychedelic single?', 'European rave palace or Gwyneth Paltrow lifestyle accessory' and 'Spot the fake DJ' (Spinston Churchill?).WIYE Merch: http://www.wiyelondon.com/merchFrank Sinatra recording in 1965 ...https://www.openculture.com/2017/04/watch-frank-sinatra-record-it-was-a-very-good-year-in-the-studio-in-1965.htmlWorking with Frank ... https://youtu.be/ogC-D3jneGECilla recording with Burt Bacharach ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj7-saWB4eQWant exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast (and in full audio-visual glory!) alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 23, 2021 • 46min
A guided tour chez Dolly Parton!
In the event of the temporary indisposition of Mr Mark Henry Ellen his part is taken for today's podcast by Mr Alexander Karl Gold and he and David Hepworth talk on the subject of which other songwriter-band leaders might arguably give Ray Davies a run for his money when it comes to sustained creation of brilliant singles, what it's like to go to Dolly Parton's home town and the contrasting accounts of the popular song experience which are available in the films "Framing Britney" and "Travelling For A Living" (https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-travelling-for-a-living-1966-online), a 1966 film of life with the Watersons. Plus, of course, the Stackwaddy Game.Want exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast - and in full audio-visual glory! - alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 15, 2021 • 47min
The Greatest Love Songs Ever Written
... a Valentine's Day Special (which naturally involves Jackie DeShannon and Lucinda Williams), the curious case of Bruce Springsteen, the Jeep ad and the shot of tequila, and the 50th birthday of Tapestry. Plus Stack Waddy: 'leafy English village or colourful minor celebrity?' and 'Tom Waits track or story by Damon Runyon?'Want exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast - and in full audio-visual glory! - alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 8, 2021 • 43min
Tom Lehrer, payola and the Midnight Train to Georgia
In which we navigate by way of pay-for-play bribery, Elvis Costello's mum, the songs the Bonzos taught us, the man who helped cook the Beatles' books, the eternal trials of posh pop stars, and Farrah Fawcett-Majors and the story of the Midnight Plane To Houston. And play 'Pulp song or episode of Are You Being Served?'The Bee Gees record a message for Pete Paphides' ansaphone in 1997 ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcKi3-pYutQ&lc=UgwqHWpFK3w9utgLeH54AaABAg&feature=em-commentsWant exclusive access to every future Word Podcast - and in full audio-visual glory! - alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 1, 2021 • 58min
The story about Phil Collins, George Harrison and the congas ...
In which the conversational spotlight alights upon the great Hilton Valentine (RIP), adventures with the KLF, Phil Collins' disastrous session for All Things Must Pass, DJ EZ's marathon, Clare Torry on the Great Gig In The Sky, Carey Mulligan v Variety magazine and John Otway's version of House of the Rising Sun. Plus be prepared to play ... "Rave DJ or Household Cleaning Product?" and "Queen track or fantasy novel by George RR 'Games Of Thrones' Martin?".Want exclusive early access to every future Word Podcast (and in full audio-visual glory!) alongside a whole host of additional exciting, enlightening and entertaining content and benefits? Of course you do! Make sure you're signed up to our fabulous Patreon for all this and more: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.